Anything Can Happen
by chartreuseian
Summary: When Helen Magnus goes missing, suspected dead, what exactly are you supposed to do? The third and final instalment in Rose's stories, follows on from 'Baby, It's Cold Outisde'.
1. The Death of Helen Magnus

**HERE WE ARE! Finally :D I'm so excited to start with this one because I've been working on it for longer than I care to think about. But it's done! So here we go! Chapters won't go up on a weekly basis, instead we'll probably get at least two, maybe more each week. It'll be all over the place but I can promise they will be frequent. If I slip up or you feel I'm not being frequent enough, start yelling at me and such and I'll pick it up... Well, maybe :P**

**A HUGE thank you to insufferablyteslen who actually proofread almost the entire thing for me. She suffered through it on a plane, in the car and while we shared a bed with me giggling at her giggles :P She is the most amazing person and she didn't beat me around the ears with the story which you should all take as a good sign!**

**Anyway, without any further fuss, I present to you, Anything Can Happen...**

* * *

The moment Helen Magnus went missing, the world stopped for all who knew her. Plates broke, tears were shed, questions were asked and everything else stopped. Many loved her, many feared for her but for three people, split across the globe, the world ceased to have meaning.

* * *

Rosie let out a gasp, the feeling of loss sweeping over her like a cold blanket. The glass in her hand crashed to the floor as her eyes went blank as she searched billions and billions of minds. Nothing. Chills swept up her spine.

She searched again.

Nothing.

Again.

Nothing.

Hands still trembling she closed her eyes and reached out for another mind, fear tinging her words.

_She's gone. Come._

Her eyes snapped open just as a burst of red light appeared in the middle of the room.

"Nikola," she said, holding her hand out to her guest. He gave her a tortured look before nodding and grabbing her hand, both disappearing in another burst of light.

* * *

They rematerialized in a lab, light streaming in through the large open windows. She crossed the room quickly, tapping his shoulder.

His face lit up as he saw her.

"It's Helen."

He froze. Then nodded.

He looked over her shoulder at John and nodded again. The three moved towards each other quickly. Rosie closed her eyes momentarily before looking up at John and holding out her hand again. He took it and she threaded her fingers through his. He grabbed Nikola's shoulder and then they were gone.

* * *

The steps of the Sanctuary were bathed in sunlight that didn't suit the sombre guests standing on it. Stepping forward, Rose pushed open the door, stepping through, the two men flanking her.

"Will!"

The young man in question came at a run.

"Rose? What is it? Henry said you asked to have the EM shield lowered."

"It's Helen. She's dead."


	2. Captive I

**I forgot to mention that this story isn't in a super traditional format. It's sort in three distinct parts, the main story, a secondary, side story and then a series of flashbacks (which will be in italics). If you get confused, just ask and I'll do my best to explain my insanity :P**

**xx**

* * *

"I need some blood."

"Pardon?"

"I said, I need some blood."

"B-but..."

"_Her_ blood, if you will."

"I-ah, I don't know..."

"Quickly now. We don't have all day."

"There's some, uh, over there. In the fridge."

"Thank you."

...

"Uh, um... I was wondering, what do you need it for?"

"Nothing overly sinister, I promise."

"I can get you a fresh vial if that would work better."

"No, no, no. You keep working. I'll be gone in a minute."

"If you're sure..."

"Perfectly. I didn't come down here to ask you to let her bleed like veal if that's what you're worried about."

"What! No! I.. No, Doctor, I swear, that's no-."

"I'm just sending a little... message."

"Oh. That's... That's..."

"Twisted? Cruel? Uncalled for? Possibly. But it will get their attention."


	3. Centenary

**All right, for those of you who don't know how I roooooooll, italics means flashbacks/memories/sometimes Rose's inner talkies but not here. Here it's flashbacks/memories. Hope that helps :P**

**xx**

* * *

"_HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" _

_It was a resounding cry and one that echoed about the space. Helen smiled graciously, saving her glare for James later._

_He had, thankfully, warned her this was coming but even still, it was ungentlemanly of him to force her to endure it. _

_Or something._

_Times were changing and so were attitudes. Helen now found herself being granted significantly more freedoms than she could have even dreamed of back when she was slaving away for a place at Oxford. Barely two decades had passed since the Representation of People Act passed and since then it felt like the world had shifted in her favour._

_No longer was James the signatory to every second legal document, no longer was she forced to rely on old connections dating back to her father's era. Now she was a woman of independent means. And she loved it._

_The war was gone, hopefully for good and finally Helen felt at peace._

_So why did they have to ruin it by reminding her of her age?_

_She'd only recently disclosed to the majority of her staff what her specific abnormal gift was. She and James had told only the nearest and dearest at first but now... Now she was leaving Britain for a new world and a new Sanctuary. It was a new time. And she no longer felt ashamed of what they were. _

_For so long the memory of what she'd done to her best friends, of the curse she'd bestowed on them and herself lingered, tainting her very existence but now..._

_Nikola was gone, Nigel living in France for the time being and it was just James. Only he remained with her and when she looked into his face it was easier to forget what had happened. _

_She could be herself, finally._

_However that did not give her staff an excuse to throw this party. It was horrid, really. Lavish decorations, a huge cake and... a banner. A large, multicoloured banner that proclaimed proudly that Helen had officially lived for one, entire century._

_She didn't consider herself a particularly vain woman by any means but all the loving comments she had received surrounding how wonderful she looked for her age did nothing but frustrate her. It wasn't by choice, none of it was. James looked good for his age, he'd worked every single day to make sure of that but Helen... Well, nothing she did could speed up or slow her rate of aging. She didn't look good for her age because she wasn't her age._

_That and there was something menacing about a three digit number._

_Holding her tight smile in place, Helen stepped forwards and tried to look pleased. She spotted James chortling away to himself in the corner and decided that once everyone had ceased the cheerful cries in her direction, she'd go box his ears in. _

_It wasn't that she wasn't flattered, because she was. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy a party or two, because she did. It was the fact that she hated, more than anything else, being the focus of all that attention when she'd done nothing to deserve it. Praise and celebration for her work at the Sanctuary she accepted with a wide grin but this..._

"_Thank you," she said as warmly as she could, brushing a stray red curl behind an ear. For all James had said he loved the colour, she was getting frustrated with it already and it had only been two decades._

_People swarmed forwards, all clamouring for hugs and a few rouge kisses until Helen suddenly found herself rather alone. All the well wishers faded away, back to where the drinks and music were situated, leaving Helen apparently free to glare at James._

_His eyes were dancing with mirth as she stalked towards him but, to his credit, he did not try and melt away as she was stopped numerous times._

_She slapped his shoulder. Hard._

"_It's just a party, Helen," he tried, still grinning like an idiot._

"_And one that I am certain you organised," she hissed back, hitting him again. He captured her hand before she could slap his shoulder a third time, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss._

_So she hit him with her other hand. _

_He jumped back from her and scowled._

"_You really are a horrible person some times," he said, shaking his head. "Now go get a drink and cheer up."_

"_I told you I didn't want this, James," she said, voice low and dangerous. "I told you to make sure that all this idiocy was kept to a minimum. And what do I find?"_

"_A celebration for you, darling," he said, taking her by the arm. It was supposed to be a soothing gesture she guessed but she shook him off._

"_I find that you have gone behind my back and not only ignored what I asked of you but have encouraged it!"_

"_Voice down, darling," he said softly, eyes flashing in warning as he tugged her that bit closer. _

_Much to her disgust, Helen found that tears were beginning to well in her eyes. James, of course, noticed merely a fraction after she did and pulled her into a tight hug. _

"_What's the matter?" he whispered soothingly against the side of her head. Helen sighed and sagged against him. _

"_It's nothing," she tried, knowing it wouldn't sit._

_He pulled back and made a face. _

"_You are the worst liar I've ever come across," he said, shaking his head. "Now tell me. And don't pretend it's because you think you're old."_

_She smiled and wiped away a stray tear. _

_It wasn't the party. It wasn't the age. It wasn't the unnecessary expenditure on such a pointless occasion. It wasn't... it wasn't any of the things she'd been trying to convince herself of. _

"_They should be here," she whispered, bowing her head and taking James' hand._

"_They're closer than you think."_

_His words startled her and her head snapped back up. She'd expected another hug, perhaps a few words of comfort but not that. _

_Smiling softly, James squeezed her hand before tugging her further into his little alcove. _

_He turned quickly and grabbed from the ledge behind him, two brightly coloured packages. One was gaudy, covered in pink and orange, tied with a huge blue ribbon while the other was plain red. But not quite red. It was a darker, more seductive colour. Crimson._

_She took the orange package first, eagerly liberating whatever lay beneath the overt coverings. _

"_Oh my," she half breathed, looking up to James in excitement. It was a small, sealed glass bowl filled to the brim with crystal clear water. Inside was what appeared to be a fish crossed with a snake only in miniature. It glittered brightly despite the dim lighting, its deep blue scales catching the light as it swam lazily about its container._

"_It is a Mitronvalic," James said softly, his eyes too trained on the creature. "From what Nigel said, it needs no oxygen to live. In fact, it produces oxygen as a waste product."_

"_We must unseal the glass," Helen said quickly but James pulled it away from her. _

"_Nigel also wanted me to warn you that he's a tricky bugger who takes pleasure in jumping from his home and into the ears of anyone around."_

"_Perhaps we should find him a secure home for him then," Helen said carefully, smiling at the creature as James set it aside._

"_Now this," he said with a heavy sigh, "arrived on my desk a few weeks ago baring only a single note which stated that I was to give it to you today. I can only assume at its origins but..."_

"_But we both know who it is from," she finished eagerly. She tore at the red wrapping carelessly until she came to a small, beaten notebook that lay within. She paused for a moment and then smiled._

"_It is the one they suspected was stolen," she breathed, brushing her fingers across the black leather. "The police were certain someone took it from his rooms before the body was reported."_

"_Apparently he did not leave all his worldly goods in that room then," James said with a faint smile. Helen paid little attention to him, too engrossed in what Nikola's old notebook could mean._

_Smiling, she held it to her chest._

"_See, turning 100 isn't that scary," James teased. She hit him with the notebook. "I take that back. It's bloody scary when you're me."_


	4. Stop Seeking

"_Let me see her Rose! I have to see her."_

"_No James, I can't. Please, don't make this any harder."_

_Helen sunk her teeth into the palm of her hand, trying her best not to call out to James. He'd been unaccountably helpful in the past few years but now that she had hatched her plan, seeing him was dangerous. Especially now when she knew for a fact he ought to have been back in London to receive her tumultuous admission of having slightly inappropriate feelings for him. He wouldn't act on the information for decades to come but they did share a rather spine tingling kiss which kept Helen's hopes alive for all that time._

"_You can't deny me this. I have to see her."_

"_James, please," Rose tried again and Helen curled in on herself. "You're making this hard enough on her as it is."_

"_Just... Just let me see her, I need to know she's all right."_

"_I'm fine James," she finally called, hating herself for giving in._

_Rose scolded her mentally and Helen bit her lip. _

"_Helen! Please, let me come in. I just want to... I want to see you again."_

"_Go back to London. That is where Helen is, where your Helen is," Rose snapped angrily. "Go back to __**your**__ Helen, James."_

_There was a pause and again Helen had to fight the urge to emerge from the other side of the door and sweep James into an embrace. She had so missed him in the years since his death and for all she knew she had to hide from him now, the yearning to see him and speak with him again was overwhelming. _

_She had been so alone these past few years, cut off from almost everyone she had known for fear of disrupting the timeline that had bought her to where she was. Seeing Rose did help to an extent but she was different to the girl who had showed up on her doorstep demanding tea. Time was yet to change her and provide her with a softer edge. At the moment she was pure anger with just an edge of distance in her attitude that Helen was unused to._

_To Rose, they had only been friends for a little over a decade which was, in terms of her life, a blip but for Helen it had been so much longer._

"_Please Helen, I miss you. Let me help with whatever it is you've decided to spend this vacation working on."_

"_James!" Rose bellowed finally and Helen turned her head just in time to see the trail of her green velvet skirt whip out the door before the oak swung shut behind her. The wooden door was thick but not so thick that their words were muffled completely._

"_Do you not realise how hard this is on her? Can you not see the pain you cause her, James?"_

"_What right to do you have to keep me away from her though?" he bit back. "Rose, I knew of this before you, if anyone has a right to be with her, to help her adjust-."_

"_I don't claim to understand what she's going through James and I did not ask for this. Helen came to me because this is how it was supposed to turn out."_

"_What does that mean? The timeline needs to be altered like this?"_

"_I don't know!"_

_Silence fell for a moment and Helen straightened out, pushing her now brilliant red curls back from her face. She couldn't allow James to see her like this, to see her new self. He was smart enough that if he searched he'd probably find her and would track her through this second life despite whatever attempts she would make to cover her tracks. She had to cut all ties with him for as long as it took for her to complete her mission. _

_Actually, she had to learn to cut ties with everyone, with her entire history and become... become an entirely new entity. She already knew she'd have to return to them all at some point, in need of assistance, but she'd spent weeks carefully constructing a timeline and tracing the movements of those she needed over the course of the next few years. She'd even gone so far as to pick out moments at which her reappearance in their lives would not cause too great of a disturbance. _

_It probably would not go to plan but it was all she could do for the time being, as much as it hurt. _

"_Rose please," James said softly. "I know you care for her as much as I do but I have to see her. I miss her..."_

"_Helen is in London, James," Rose said firmly but with a touch more kindness than before. _

"_It is not the same and you know it."_

"_I know."_

_And then suddenly Helen remembered James' distance, how strange and cold he'd seemed to her at this time. She'd confessed her feelings and, despite the ardent kiss, he'd become even less receptive to gestures of affection. She'd put it down to fear of impropriety or incurring her father's wrath but perhaps it was more because she was not the woman he'd been looking for. _

_A strange sense of heartache and anger settled inside her and she stood, pushing away from the wall she had huddled against._

"_Leave this place James," she called through the door. "Leave now and do no return unless expressly invited to do so."_

"_Helen-."_

"_No. Leave James, there is nothing for you here." She took a deep breath. "The woman who loves you is in London, she has no interest in travelling this far into the back end of Wales. Keep it that way."_

_She could just about picture the disbelief on his face. Never had she been so curt with him, or, at least, not in such a way. _

"_I... Helen..."_

_He sounded so dismayed, so disbelieving. _

_Helen pressed a hand into the wood of the door._

"_I'm sorry James," Rose said softly._

_Helen waited until she heard the telltale footsteps of James trudging down the stone steps before she opened the door a crack._

_Rose flew in quickly, slamming the door shut and pressing her back to it. _

"_Now, for god's sake Helen, tell me why exactly I had to do that? And what on earth did you do to your hair?"_

* * *

**More flashbacks! Yay! There are a lot of them so hang tight. Next up is main storyline again :)**

**xx**


	5. Leave of Absence

"Of course she's not dead."

"I saw her like an hour ago."

"How on earth would you even know?"

"We haven't seen you in ages."

"And how can you even know something like that?"

"Enough," John bellowed, holding a hand up to silence the four people standing as greeting party. "Go, fetch Helen then."

He looked to young William expectantly, waiting until he rolled his eyes and dragged out a sleek little device.

"Magnus," he said into the device. "Magnus come in. Your school chums have dropped in for a visit. And they brought you a present."

Nothing came in response.

"Magnus?"

Still nothing.

He looked to the device before glancing back between the three newcomers. John knew his barely contained anger would be evident on his face but he didn't care. Let the child be good and scared of him. If he had missed such an important piece of information such as Helen's demise he deserved all the pain John could possibly inflict on his body. And mind.

At the thought John felt a small hand land on his arm, squeezing gently the bunched muscle. Looking down he was shocked to see Rose staring up at him with a quivering lip. Her eyes were unreadable but something about the fear she was exuding helped to push his beast back into its cage. For now at least.

William, meanwhile was still bleating into the device with ever increasing panic.

"Henry," he said hastily. "Can you do a scan or something?"

The young tech nodded and started tapping on the tablet under his arm. The young blonde by Will's side put an arm around his shoulders, talking softly to him.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Just a mistake."

"This isn't a game Abby," Nikola put in angrily, taking a step towards her. "Do you think we'd come here without good reason?"

Again it was Rose's restraining hand that pulled Nikola back. For a moment she looked as if she was about to speak but quickly the look passed and she stepped back, almost shielding herself behind John's body.

"I... Uh..." Henry stammered, colour draining from his face.

"For real Hank?" Kate breathed, eyes wide. She stepped to the HAP's side, peering down over his shoulder.

"No... I... This isn't..."

Henry looked to Nikola, fear plain in his eyes as he thrust the tablet towards the other man.

"Like I said, good reason."

For a moment no one spoke, eyes riveted to Henry's tablet.

And then chaos erupted.

"Are you sure?"

"Shouldn't we go check or something?"

"But she's not..."

"This isn't a game junior."

"I can't find her on the scans."

"Are you completely sure?"

"What do you mean you can't find her?"

"She can't just be dead."

"We had a meeting this morning and she was totally fine."

"But I don't get how you know she's dead!"

"Is trust not one of the values Helen places high in her esteem?"

"Can we please just go check?"

"ENOUGH."

Rose's voice echoed around the airy entrance hall, cutting everyone off midstream.

Abby looked to Will while Kate and Henry shared concerned looks.

"We have to... This needs... I..."

John, in all his years of knowing and hating Rose had never before seen her lost for words. She was confident and self assured, even when things looked impossible. She was quick witted and even quicker with her tongue.

But not now, now her body was practically shaking. Her eyes were fixed on the floor as she stuttered through a few incoherent words before taking a stilted step forwards.

Looking over her head, John gave Nikola a concerned look, surprised to see that the other man looked just as taken aback as he felt. He would have expected Nikola to be by Rose's side by now, arm around her waist. They were always a rather touchy couple unafraid of public displays of more than a little affection. He'd sensed a change in their relationship last he'd seen them but he'd put part of that down to the influence of that vile creature who had saved him down in Hollow Earth.

He still didn't fully understand how she'd gotten him out of there, only piecing together small fragments from what she'd told him as she nursed him back to health. It was a strange sensation to have such fractured memories of the time he spent with her but he was mostly glad. The beast within him fed off of the horrid images he still retained of the victims of her mind control and try as he might, nothing could exorcise that demon.

It was why he'd stayed away from Helen in recent months. He'd watched from afar as she blew up the Sanctuary, not believing for a minute she'd take her life in such a way. A few weeks later Nikola had sent him a very discreet message containing only one word.

Spirō.

It was all he'd needed and, for a while it had helped to keep him sane. He'd wanted to run off and search for Helen immediately but not only did he know of how foolish such an endeavour would be, he hadn't a single scrap of evidence to trace.

It was part of the reason he'd answered Rose's call with such speed. That and the heart stopping dread that had flooded his body.

It was the same kind of dread that he could now see in the very tension of Rose's shoulders.

She was breathing deeply as if trying to calm herself. Her hands were balled by her sides, fists trembling but the fire in her eyes was dimmer than he'd ever seen.

It was strange, part of him rejoiced at the idea that she was suffering but the other told him it could mean nothing good. This wasn't a hoax, it couldn't be.

"Enough fighting," she breathed with a little sob. "I want to... I want to see her."

No one spoke, all eyes fixed upon her.

"Screw that," Nikola snarled. "I want answers."

"Wouldn't we all," Will drawled, rolling his eyes. John knew such a reaction was a mistake. The vampire was easily provoked at the best of times but now? He hated the thought of anyone feeling anything even slightly romantic for his Helen, it made his blood boil, but there was no denying that the Serb had always carried a torch for her. John's fists balled, fingers clenching so as to prevent himself from lashing out at either Nikola or young William.

"Can't you all just shut it!" Rose snapped tearfully, body trembling as she stepped around John to glare at both Nikola and Will. He could see her back rippling beneath the thing fabric of her singlet and took a step back, watching as the skin peeking out turn bright red.

"Is a little respect too much to ask? She's dead, she's _dead_ and all you can do is stand around fighting! You," she gestured to Will, "have no right to be so defensive when you didn't even know she was gone and you," she gestured to Nikola, "you should... should know better! She's dead, she's DEAD."

Her last screeching word hung in the air for a second before a great tearing of fabric shattered the silence, her wings bursting forth and drawing a sob from her lips.

Abby took a startled step back but Henry and Kate immediately looked ashamed.

"Holy Hannah," Abby breathed, eyes wide.

"Marvel later," Rose snapped harshly, glaring at the other woman. "Now, show me to her body."

Again everyone was silent, eyes downcast. It was only when Henry coughed uncomfortably that they all dared to breathe again.

"I-uh, I can't..." he said softly. "I mean, I would Rosie it's just that... Well I can't..."

Rose cocked her head, obviously doing some digging before her body sagged and wings retracted as she walked towards the young tech.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," she whispered before pulling him into a brief hug. He patted her back awkwardly as she pulled away, taking the tablet from his hands. Sniffing, she tapped a few times before humming in frustration.

"It can't be right," she breathed, gesturing for Nikola to walk over to her without looking up. He did so quickly, leaving John alone as the rest of the group eyed him apprehensively. Kate and Will had nothing but hostility in their eyes but the new girl, Abby was giving him a tentative smile.

John cast his eyes up and down the young woman discreetly, almost chuckling to himself. Of course the protégé would pick her. She was just like Helen. Far less intelligent and with only a skerrick of her beauty but there was a purity about her spirit and a kindness about her eyes that he hadn't seen in over a century and a half.

And, he noted, her body was nothing to be scoffed at. She was tall without being too tall and curved without being overly so.

He tried his best to return her tenuous smile, noting that the action calmed him for some reason. He should still be in the grip of terror, heart pounding and such at the thought of his Helen being dead but she... Abby, he corrected, had some strange effect on him. She was like a tiny window to the past, reminding him of the woman he had so loved. The woman whose innocence and purity of spirit had prevented him from claiming her as one of his victims. She was not dirty. Well, at the time she hadn't been a small voice told him. Now though...

Shaking away the thought he ripped his gaze from the blonde, looking over to where Rose was bent over the tablet with Henry and Nikola by her sides.

"This makes no sense," Nikola muttered, snatching the tablet. "She can't just... not be here. It's not like this is an easy place to leave."

"You mean her tracker has stopped working?" Will asked, cutting in. "Is that why you think she's dead?" John watched as relief washed over the young man and he had to fight the urge to slam his head into the nearest wall in an attempt to clear away whatever idiocy mean that he couldn't comprehend the gravity of the situation.

"Have you lost all brain function?" Rose spat. "Of course that's not it! I know she's dead because... because... because I can't feel her anymore." The venom in her words trailed off and soon enough she was shaking again. "She's gone Will. She's just... gone."

He swallowed and Henry tried to hide a sniffle.

"Maybe she's... maybe it's just..."

"No Will," she breathed. "Gone. She's just... gone."

* * *

**All right, I'm heading off for a few days so this will have to do you until I get back. I'm sure you'll be fine.**

**Should anyone's head explode with the sheer insanity contained in this chapter, I will have twitter so come bug me on there and I'll do my best to heal the 'splody. Same username as here :)**

**xx**


	6. Happy Birthday

_Helen smiled to herself as she regarded the fruits of her labour. The entire room was decked out in bright orange streamers, orange and yellow presents stacked in one corner and, the icing on the cake, so to speak, was the giant chocolate cake slathered with orange icing that sat in the centre of the table._

_Everything was ready. _

_It had taken her weeks to prepare it all, trying her best to keep everything hidden. It wasn't every day that her little girl hit the big double digits after all. _

_The guests had been sworn to secrecy, the gifts had all been wrapped in matching paper and the day was going to go from high to high. Starting with cake for breakfast, a much lusted after treat apparently. _

_Helen had managed a few small miracles in bringing together this birthday party, the least of which was hiding upstairs in the room beside Ashley's. Uncle Jamie had flown in especially, arms laden with gifts of all shapes and sizes for his favourite niece. Watching them interact always made Helen's heart throb with in a very peculiar, there was something very touching about how James doted on Ashley and, even though it sometimes made Helen wish she'd allowed James to play the father as he'd so pleaded, she wouldn't change a thing about the way they loved one another._

_Sharing Ashley with her boys had always been something of a dream for Helen. It seemed almost unfair that those who had made up such a large portion of her very long life shouldn't get to meet the most important thing she'd ever done in that very long life. _

_At least she had James, she reminded herself before straightening a cluster of balloons beside the door._

_He was Helen's birthday present to Ashley in many ways. He was staying for just over a month and Helen had every intention of taking at least two thirds of that time off. With Ashley on summer holidays, it seemed the perfect time for them both to take a step back from work. After all, she had it on good authority that James was almost as tied to the job as she was. _

_Chuckling at the thought of the look on James' face when she announced that they'd have sweets for breakfast today, Helen set off towards her daughter's bedroom. _

_She paused outside the door, smoothing down her white sundress before knocking softly. She didn't expect Ashley to still be asleep but she had promised to stay in her room until Helen came to fetch her. _

_When the door didn't fly open to expose an over excited 10 year old, dressed in her most favouritest skirt (she was such a girly girl sometimes, it made Helen laugh), Helen pushed open the door tentatively. _

"_Ashley?" she asked. "Are you up yet, sweetie? Don't tell me you've forgotten what day it is!"_

_But there was no response. Skin prickling in alarm, Helen opened the door fully and stepped into the messy room._

"_Ashley?" she called again. The bed was unmade (as per usual) and her pyjamas thrown over the end of her bed (as per usual) but there was no sign of the girl which was unusual. Ashley, for all her tenacity, listened when Helen asked her to stay put. They'd come to a sort of hidden language not too long ago where Ashley had learnt that when she was asked to stay put, she really ought to. _

_Rampaging abnormals really helped enforce the point. _

_Something about this didn't seem right to Helen. Even if Ashley had disobeyed her, she'd have come to the kitchen or Helen's room or... _

_Perhaps she'd found James._

_Turning on her heel, Helen stalked down the corridor, heart beating frantically. She didn't even knock on James' door, simply tossing it open. He was only partially dressed but she didn't bat an eye. _

"_Is Ashley with you?"_

"_No," he said slowly, drawing out the word. "Why?"_

"_She's not in her room."_

_In half a second he had thrown on his shirt, and rushed to her side._

"_Come," he ordered, striding back towards Ashley's room as he fastened his shirt of the chest plate of the device that kept him alive. He took her hand as they stepped into Ashley's room, giving it a gentle and reassuring squeeze. _

"_Ashley," he called, looking about. "Ashley, darling?"_

_They got no response and Helen clung to his hand a little bit tighter. He stood absolutely still for a moment, observing the room as only he could. When he chuckled softly, anger began to rise in Helen's stomach. Turning to tell him off for being so cavalier about it all, she was shocked to find him smiling at her indulgently. _

"_It's a good thing you weren't the detective of the group," he said, shaking his head. "She's received a letter." James nodded towards the centre of Ashley's unmade bed where, lo and behold, a torn envelope lay. _

"_But that doesn't tell us where she is," Helen said curtly. The fear bubbling away in her stomach wasn't dissipating as James clearly had thought it would._

"_I'm sure she hasn't gone far," he said, patting her hand. The condescending tone had Helen just about to hit him._

_Yanking her hand free, Helen turned on her heel and strode to the nearest elevator. _

"_You start with the attic, I'll begin in the catacombs," she growled over her shoulder at James. "Tell anyone you come across that the party-"_

"_Helen?"_

"_-is postponed until further notice."_

"_Helen?"_

"_I'll check the security cameras too and-"_

"_Helen?"_

"_-if you could go ask Henry to help us find her-"_

"_Helen!"_

"_Stop interrupting me!"_

"_I found Ashley."_

_Spinning back to face him, Helen blanched, before dashing back to his side. James stood by the window, smug smirk in place. He took her hand, pulling her close as he pointed to a small, orange speck dancing about on the lawns._

_Helen laughed in spite of herself and relaxed against James' chest. _

"_What on earth is she doing?" James asked._

"_Possibly dancing," Helen supplied easily._

"_No, look, there's something metallic. It keeps catching the sunlight."_

"_Did you give her an early present?" she asked absently. "I made Henry promise that he wouldn't this year."_

"_No, I have a few pieces tucked away to give her tonight when everything else has died down."_

"_I suggest I go practice my detective skills then," she said with a smile, taking his hand again as they made their way to the elevator._

* * *

_As they stepped out into the brilliant sunshine, Helen couldn't help but smile at the sound of her daughter's joyous laughter._

_She was wearing her very favourite skirt and a white shirt that already had a few grass stains on it with some sort of necklace Helen had never seen before. It was a dark metal, almost bronze but with hints of gold and silver threaded through it. It bumped against her chest as she sprinted across the grass towards Helen and James._

"_UNCLE JAMIE!" Ashley half screamed, launching herself into his arms with a laugh. James caught her easily, swinging her around in a circle._

"_Happy birthday, beautiful," he said, giving her a swift kiss to the cheek. _

"_This is the best birthday ever," she said happily, looking over to Helen as she snuggled into James' arms. "Thank you for the presents, Mom."_

"_I haven't given you your presents yet," Helen replied, bemused. "But I do like your necklace, where did you get it?"_

_Ashley frowned, fingering the metal. _

"_The letter you gave me said to come down here though..." she said, looking up to Helen, perplexed. _

"_Show me the letter," Helen said cautiously. Ashley wiggled about until James put her down before she ran across the lawn. Helen and James followed quickly and Ashley turned at their approach, offering a beaten piece of paper to them along with a small white rose, trimmed of all thorns. _

"_It was on my bed this morning," Ashley said. "The handwriting is all... scrolly like yours."_

_James chuckled at the comment as he studied the paper but Helen was more transfixed by the rose. Surely Rosie wouldn't simply drop by and not actually say hello..._

"_It's not her," James breathed before showing her the note. "Look familiar to you?"_

_She scanned her eyes over the note and swallowed before nodding._

"_Then why the rose?" Helen asked softly. _

"_To throw us off maybe?"_

"_But are you sure he's even..."_

"_Your guess is as good as mine."_

"_Well?" Ashley suddenly burst in. "Who gave it to me?"_

_Helen and James shared a look before Helen smiled. _

"_We aren't sure, darling. But the necklace is very pretty and I think we ought to put this lovely flower in your hair, don't you?"_

_Ashley narrowed her eyes, playing with the tail end of her long braid. _

"_It's not just a necklace," she said, still regarding her mother cautiously. "Look."_

_Suddenly she turned, holding one arm out to the side as the other rose to fiddle with her necklace. There was a beat before, out of nowhere, something shiny was flying straight towards them. And it was literally flying. As it got closer to them, Helen could see wings flapping and, as it came to a gentle stop on Ashley's outstretched arm, the thing even cooed._

"_Well, there's our answer," James said softly. "A damn pigeon..."_

_The creature was purely mechanical, the bronzed wings shining in the sunlight as it shifted about on Ashley's arm. The girl petted its back gently and it cooed again, pressing its head back against her hand. The soft hiss of joints and cogs beneath the polished exterior was the only real proof that it wasn't a real bird now nuzzling against Ashley's cheek._

"_Isn't he lovely," Ashley said softly, looking up to Helen and James with glowing eyes. "He does tricks too and all I need to do is press on the necklace and he comes back to me."_

_Carefully, so as not to disrupt the bird, she turned to properly face Helen, allowing Helen the chance to properly inspect the bird and necklace._

"_How beautiful," Helen said, kneeling on the ground to watch the bird better. _

_And then, all of a sudden, the bird shifted back, pointing its tiny beak towards Helen as it began to sing a very familiar song. It was one from her youth, a song her mother used to sing as she sewed in the morning room. In fact, it was the very first song Helen ever learnt to play on the piano. She felt James' hand land on her shoulder as tears pricked her eyes. _

_Then, when she was certain the bird had shown off the best of its gifts, the necklace slowly began to open. Ashley, allowing the now silent pigeon to climb up to her shoulder carefully reached into the locket and pulled out a curled up piece of paper along with a small square of card._

_Her eyes wizzed over the paper before she handed it to Helen, focusing instead on the square._

_You look just like your mother. _

"_You're so pretty," Ashley said softly, tracing a finger over the square. Helen shifted so she could see it, taken aback by the clarity of the picture. It was an old one, one she remembered having taken but it had been so long since she'd seen it. Nikola had taken it when she wasn't paying attention with his self devised camera. This piece had been cut from a larger one for Helen knew that the arm around her waist as she laughed heartily belonged to John but it still contained her smiling face and James'. _

"_She does look just like you," James offered, smiling down. _

"_I wish my hair was curly like that," Ashley said with a heavy sigh, drawing a laugh from Helen. _

"_Well," she said, standing and holding a hand out to her daughter, "perhaps today we'll curl your hair then."_

_Ashley wrinkled her nose._

"_With those hot things? Nah-uh."_

"_Come on birthday girl," Helen said with a laugh. "It's time for breakfast cake."_

_The squeal her statement received made James groan but Helen was unable to keep from grinning. Today was going to be a good day._

* * *

**Sorry for the delay, this one slipped my mind!**

**xx**


	7. Captive II

"How's she doing?"

"F-fine so far. The solution seems to be working as we'd hoped."

"And the implant?"

"The images are a bit blurry but that's to be expected considering the level of sedative we have her on."

"Lower the dose."

"What?"

"Lower it."

"No! Dr. Martin, wait! What do you mean lower the dose?"

"I mean lower it. Now. Before I have you fired for disobeying a direct order."

"But if we lower the dose of solution, the images may well fade all together and this will have been for nothing. We had to up the normal dose by 78% to get anything out of her, it was dangerous but if we drop it back down there's no telling how high it'll have to go to bring the memories out again."

"Not the solution, the sedatives. There's no point having her here if the pictures are coming through with this amount of clarity. Lower the sedative dose."

"But... But what if she wakes up?"

"Well then we'll have achieved the desired result and I won't have to have you reassigned to R&D, will I?"

"But she's dangerous!"

"Considering the dose of solution you've given her, do you really think she's going to be in any state to harm you? You saw what a fraction of the amount she's on did to a normal human, at worst she'll cuss but even then I doubt it."

"But she's so much stronger tha-."

"If you cannot deal with the idea of a cranky test subject and the possibility that you may end up pressing your little red security button over there, perhaps we were wrong to promote you."

"I didn't mean that Doctor. It's just that..."

"We're all admirers of her work, Carla."

"It feels..."

"I know. But we can learn much more from her like this than she'd ever share with us voluntarily."

"Still."

"It's for the good of mankind and abnormals alike. She's the key to creative a world where we can all live together."

"Dr. Martin?"

"If she wakes up and breaks the security glass, I'm blaming you."

"Noted. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a letter to post."

"So it's time then."

"Yes, I suppose it is."


	8. The Beginning

"_Well well, what do we have here?" a snide little voice asked, chuckling slightly as the occupants of the table all turned to look at the new arrival. Helen paused, stopping her fork before she could take a bite of her lunch. The others all stiffened at the newcomer and immediately she felt the tension surrounding their little group jump up to dangerous heights._

"_Worth," James all but spat, his voice cold as the small man smiled down at them. _

"_Ah now James, surely we're good enough friends that you can call me Adam?" he asked with a faintly disturbing smile for each of them, his eyes lingering on Helen questioningly. "Though I don't think I've met the lady. Worth, Adam Worth," he said, reaching a hand out to her which Helen shook quickly before settling back in her chair. Something about the man was more than a little disturbing. _

"_Helen Magnus," she replied, almost slinking back into Nikola for protection. It was silly, she knew to be so apprehensive of a man she'd only just met but watching at how the other's around he bristled at his appearance set her on edge and made her want to take her friends hand again._

"_Is there something you want Adam?" Nigel asked after a moment of silence. _

"_I'm not interrupting, am I?" Worth asked, eyes lighting up in a way that made Helen think he wished he had. _

"_Not at all," John replied smoothly, his voice menacing in its coolness. _

"_Perhaps I could join you then?" he asked eagerly, stepping closer and gesturing to their half eaten meals._

"_This is a private meeting, Worth," Nikola barked from beside, startling Helen somewhat. _

_Worth's face darkened at the admission._

"_Of course, the fantastic five cannot be troubled to include a fellow academic when it comes to a simple lunch," he hissed, glancing around as if asking them to defy his words. _

"_Regardless," Helen said, cutting him off before he could stalk away. "We were just about to leave." With that she stood the others following suit._

"_It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Worth," she said, holding a hand out to him. He looked genuinely surprised at the gesture but took her hand regardless, brushing his lips across her finger tips. With an uneasy smile for the man she turned, leading them towards the exit. She nodded to a waiter, signalling that the bill should be added to her father's tab before taking her coat and hat, not waiting for anyone to hold the door open and stepping out into the cool afternoon sun._

_Moments later the others joined her, James congratulating her for ridding them of Worth._

"_He is a most peculiar man," she allowed, brows furrowing as Nikola offered her his arm. Together the five of them set of, walking back towards the campus. _

"_He is like his experiments," Nikola said darkly. "Malformed."_

"_Too right," Nigel agreed readily. "He has the most ridiculous of ideas and cannot stand it when someone brings him to question for them."_

"_I've heard the most horrendous rumours of some of his experiments, off the books, of course," John put in uneasily. _

"_He is completely without regard when it comes to the most basic of ethical principles," James said quietly, drawing Helen's attention. The man was loathe to criticise anyone, rarely saying something so unkind and it told her just how much he distrusted the man. Clearly she was right to walk away from the peculiar man._

"_Though you have to admit he does have his uses," Nikola said suddenly, much to everyone's surprise. "He gave us a name," he said by way of explanation. "The Five."_

_Helen laughed softly squeezing the arm she held. _

"_Do not get ahead of yourself Nikola, you haven't yet been told what I am asking of you," she chastised with a smile._

"_But it does have a nice ring to it," Nigel said with a grin. _

"_And I think it's sufficiently mysterious to fit with today's theme of hidden motives and unexplained requests," John allowed, giving her a smile. _

"_I think it would be prudent to hold off on toasting to it though, at least until you all have a better understanding of what we're to be doing," she continued, earning herself a sigh from Nikola though the other's all nodded in acceptance._

_Smiling, she came to a stop, gesturing for the others to gather around somewhat. _

"_I do apologise for having to cut our lunch so short," she said, looking around at the men. "But I shall see you all at 6pm sharp, yes?"_

_Murmurs of agreement sounded and she smiled. _

"_In that case, I'd best let you all go; no doubt you have far more interesting things to do than hole yourselves up in the library with me."_

_James chuckled but nodded._

"_Do you need someone to walk you back to campus?" he asked. "I'm happy to make the detour."_

"_No, no," she said, waving him off. "Nikola and I have some notes to compare on an experiment we've been conducting," she continued, giving him a tiny smile, hoping he understood just that she was getting at. Confusion flashed briefly over his face before he nodded. _

"_She is right," he said. "We've much to discuss."_

"_As fascinating as that sounds," Nigel said with a grin, "I'll leave you two to it. Druitt? Feel like coming to the pub? I think we'll be in need of a stiff drink before facing whatever it is that's lurking in the Magnus household."_

"_Certainly," John replied with a laugh, clapping the shorter man on the shoulder and James chuckled, giving Helen a knowing look. _

"_Until tonight then?" she declared with a smile and the others all nodded. One by one they said their goodbyes, wandering off until only Helen and Nikola stood on the street._

"_Not that I object but what on earth were you on about before?" he asked, taking her arm as they walked towards the university campus._

"_The experiment?" she clarified. "Or are you asking after this evening's activity?"_

"_Both," Nikola tried hopefully, giving her a grin. _

"_Well, in terms of your second query, I do believe I gave you a hint not so long ago," she said, keeping her eyes on the ground. "I kept meaning to ask if you figured it out?"_

_Nikola sighed._

"_You can't possibly mean what I think you meant Helen," he said quietly, looking to the ground too._

"_The beauty of it is that I most probably do," she replied with a small smile looking over to him._

_Nikola paused for a moment, opening his mouth as if intending to continue with the line of questioning before shutting it and shaking his head._

"_And the e__xperiment?" he asked, giving her an uncertain look._

"_You... you said you wished to spend the afternoon together," she said softly, looking down again only to be forced to raise her gaze when he started tugging her along faster and faster. _

"_Nikola!" she cried in alarm. "Where are we going?"_

"_To my room to grab some wine," he said eagerly. "And then to the abandoned laboratory overlooking the court yard. It locks from the inside and the view is sublime."_

_At that Helen laughed but sped up none the less, eager to make the most of what little time they would have to themselves._

* * *

**So, those with keen memories will probably remember this chapter from another story. First person to tell me which can request and update of whatever they want :P**

**xx**


	9. Complications

"Gather the troops."

Those had been Rose's instructions as she stormed towards a wing of the new Sanctuary. Will had started after her but Druitt's crushing grip against his shoulder had stopped that rather quickly.

"One hour," the man had specified. His eyes had glinted in warning before he too stormed off but in a completely different direction.

Tesla on the other hand had remained silent, puzzling over the tablet in his hand with Henry by his side.

"What do we do?" Kate asked quietly, taking a step closer to where he was rooted to the spot.

"We gather the troops," he replied faintly. She nodded despite the scepticism in her eyes, turning to walk down towards the central comms room and leaving Will with a shell shocked Abby. She was blinking dumbly at him, head cocked.

She didn't even have to voice the question.

"That was Rose," Will answered, holding up a hand. "She's... she's..."

"Wrong," Tesla spat quickly, interjecting from across the entry way they were yet to move from. "She's got to be wrong."

"You heard her Tesla, have you ever seen her that scared?" Will replied.

"She was rather convinced," Abby put in timidly.

"Do not pretend to even understand what she's going through," Nikola snarled. "God only knows what stresses she's been under."

"Are you saying that Helen's still alive?" Abby asked, stepping towards the irate vampire despite Will's attempt at restraining her.

"I'm saying she can't be dead."

And with that, Nikola turned, tablet under his arm and all but sprinted down another corridor and Will sighed. The man had only been gone from the Sanctuary for a week and a half and Will had been considering it some kind of gift from above. Peace and quiet was in short supply for them at the best of times but with Tesla around it was another kind of hell most days. Between the attempts at blowing the entire network up and the way he liked to provoke Magnus into a blind rage his presence was like a guaranteed headache.

They hadn't been expecting him back for another few days at least, whichever 'secret project' Magnus had sent him on requiring him to go to the surface. Will suspected the mission, whatever it was, may have also been a way for her to get some time away from the man who had quickly become glued to her side. Something had shifted in their relationship recently and while he wasn't sure what, Will had picked up on it straight away. They fought and bickered and complained about one another just as much as before but now there was something... different about it. They worked a little better together (not that they hadn't been nearly seamless before) and there was always a lingering smile on their faces when the other was talking. It was subtle but there and to be honest it kind of frightened Will. The last thing he needed was the promise of a new permanent house guest.

Not that it was at all cramped. The sprawling structure spread out for miles, gleaming buildings set around a system of grassy parks and towering jungles. Some of the foliage was like nothing he'd ever seen before but everything flourished under their artificial sun. The place was like an oasis, almost the entire network in one place with more than enough room for generous expansions. Only the London Sanctuary still functioned on the surface, more a cover than anything else. The story was that, with Magnus gone everything had fallen apart.

In reality the London Sanctuary was simply the intake point for any new abnormals. Everywhere else had, over the past six months been sold off bit by bit and one by one they'd moved below the surface. When he'd arrived, three of the Sanctuaries were already down, each occupying their own wing that had been designed specifically for the requirements of that Sanctuary.

It was a monumental undertaking and a testament to Magnus, a legacy that would stand the test of time.

The thought struck Will cold. If she really was dead then... then this really was her legacy to the world.

He felt himself choking up a little at the thought. Rose couldn't be right, she just couldn't be. It simply wasn't fathomable.

She was supposed to be one of those constants. A thorn in everyone's sides and the woman they all looked up to. She was eternal and unfathomable and... and she just was. Always. She cheated death as a hobby, twisting and turning about until she had it running away with its tail between its legs. She didn't die, she lived. She lived well and with purpose. She couldn't be dead.

"I'm going to go run another search," Henry said gruffly, breaking into Will's line of thought before spinning on his heel and thumping down in the direction Tesla had skulked.

Will let out a breath, trying to stem the panic slowly erupting through his body.

"That was..." Abby said quietly, rocking back on her heels. Will shot her a small smile before trying once more to release the growing tensions in his shoulders. Picking up on his discomfort she came to stand behind him, small hands working the knotted muscles of his shoulders. He sighed and relaxed into the touch as much as he could, once again thankful she'd made the switch to the Sanctuary. He'd been dubious about her joining them to start with but Magnus had curtly informed him that it wasn't his choice, it was Abby's. The two women had spoken at length and come out, arms linked with large smiles on their faces.

While he'd been worried that his decision to rejoin Magnus below ground would mean the end of his relationship, Will had never contemplated that Abby would make the move too. She loved her job with the FBI and despite Addison recruiting her post the explosion, she had never shown an interest in leaving. But, of course, when he mentioned in passing and as a joke that she could always come work with him for even lousier pay, she'd taken him seriously.

He'd cringed as she strode into Magnus' office, resume in hand but after being kicked out by both women, his nerves had begun to build. He'd never really thought about it but having Abby work for the Sanctuary would be both a curse and a blessing. There would be no such thing as separate work and private life and they'd probably end up fighting a fair bit more than they did currently but Will could see no other way for them to work as a couple. It was just too much, he couldn't ask her to go through the stress of dating a dead man and he didn't need the added worry of when he'd get a chance to go up and see her.

Since the change he'd been... well, relatively happy. He was loathe to say as such for fear of jinxing it but things had been going smoothly. Until of course Henry's frantic message had come down the line. Then he'd been sprinting full pelt down to the entrance hall.

Seeing not only Druitt and Tesla so angry and upset but Rosie too had been more of a shock that he wanted to admit. Even after having met the woman on only a few select occasions, he hadn't expected her to react so violently. Her fear was unparalleled in his eyes. Even with that horrid sister there had still been a calm acceptance to her but now there was only terror.

And he couldn't blame her. Helen Magnus didn't do dead.

"Can you go help Kate?" Will asked weakly, putting a hand on Abby's. "Bring all the Heads down to the meeting room in an hour, yeah?"

"Sure," she said softly, pressing a fleeting kiss to his cheek. She turned to go but he grabbed her hand back quickly.

She shot him a puzzled look, squeezing his hand comfortingly.

"Just... just be careful of Druitt and Tesla," he said, scrubbing a hand over his face. "They can be... explosive sometimes."

"I'm always careful," she told him with a wide smile before sauntering down the corridor and Will had to smile. She was so... sunny.

But then that now familiar feeling of dread crept up his spine and he shuddered, turning on his heel and walking... just walking.

It took only a moment for his feet to find a path for him to follow. He would go to the one place he went when things got bad and he needed advice. _Her_ office. It was stupid but he couldn't stop himself from heading down the familiar corridors.

And three and a half minutes later he was standing outside the light double doors, hand on one intricate knob.

After a deep breath he pushed it open, heart clenching oddly as he did so.

The room was completely still, the white gauzy curtains hanging limp beside closed windows. The palatial desk was neat and orderly, a single file lying open as testament to a want to return. Or so it seemed to Will's eyes.

Slowly he stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him as he took a deep, calming breath. Seeing her office empty made it real. This wasn't some prank or hoax, she was gone, maybe even dead.

"It's strange, isn't it?" a soft voice said from one of the tasteful blue couches tucked by the windows. Rose's head appeared over the back, her small face solemn.

"It just doesn't make sense," he agreed quietly, crossing the room to drop into the space by her feet. She curled in on herself more, arms around her knees as she set her head on her knees. Light brown curls tickled her cheeks but she shook them away absently, tucking the shoulder length strands behind an ear.

She smiled bleakly at him and he had the sudden urge to hold her hand or something.

"It doesn't seem real," she whispered, holding out a shaking hand to him. He took it gratefully, sliding closer to her.

"She just..."

"Can't be gone." Rose let out a shuddering breath, eyes closing as she squeezed his fingertips. "I can't hear her anymore. It's so... Just..."

"I know."

She smiled at him again and sighed. They stayed like that for a minute, Will simply trying to calm down enough to go and chair the meeting that had to be held.

Then he had a thought, something to take his mind off of all this.

"Back in Serbia," he blurted, "just before you went all..."

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer?"

"Yeah," he replied with a weak chuckle, "you said something."

"I did."

Will rolled his eyes and she smirked.

"What was it?"

Rose sighed, looking around the room before biting her lip and looking Will in the eye once more.

"Doclis maynta, presu veya."

Will simply looked at her, wracking his brain to try and figure out the words. The words sound vaguely like Latin but even then he knew that wasn't quite it.

"It's a prayer," she admitted softly, unfolding her legs. "In the language of my people. It translates to something along the lines of 'for death, we smile'."

"Oh."

She smiled kindly at him, shifting closer so that their legs almost touched.

"When you are immortal Will, death can be both welcome and terrifying. We were always taught to smile in the face of death because then, no matter what, part of you would be at peace."

"I like that," he said softly, smiling down at her. Her brown eyes twinkled in response and she chuckled.

"It is rather soothing," she agreed quietly, her body again shifting until she was closer still to Will. Slowly she raised a hand to his cheek, stroking her fingers across his cheek bone sadly. "Oh Will," she breathed, eyes locked on his.

"Don't tell me, you see my death," he teased half heartedly. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

"You are so different," she continued. "Your eyes. They've grown so old."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, voice dropping to a near whisper.

Then she really smiled.

"No."

And with that she closed what little distance remained between them and kissed him full on the lips. Will was so startled that for a moment he couldn't react, simply letting her run her tongue across the seam of his lips. But then he was reacting for some stupid reason, kissing her back as one hand wound into her loose hair. She pressed forward, hands cupping his cheeks still and Will quickly found himself being pushed back against the sofa slightly, Rose almost hovering over him on her knees. Bit by bit the kiss deepened, passion rising between them unwanted and unbidden but there none the less. A thousand reasons as to why this was stupid rushed through his mind but none of it seemed to compute.

Until, of course, a shocked gasp flooded his senses from somewhere in the vicinity of the door. Rose flew backwards, eyes wide and fearful but Will only had eyes for the flash of blonde that was now stalking down the corridor and away from them.

He groaned.

"Sorry," Rose muttered, standing up and rubbing her hands over her thighs awkwardly.

He didn't speak, instead waiting for her to either speak or leave.

She seemed to choose the latter easily, turning on her heel and scampering out the door and giving him the chance to groan once more.

In the words of Helen Magnus, bloody hell.

* * *

**I had intended to have this up earlier but I keep getting distracted. Sorry!**


	10. Things That Go Bump

_Pulling the sheets tighter around her, Helen screwed her eyes shut. She was too old to be afraid of the dark and much too experienced to be afraid of the soft noises that were floating up through the thick floorboards. However, reminding herself of the fact wasn't helping to slow her pounding heart. _

_It was no more noisy than London had been, no colder. Perhaps it was larger but that should have given her a feeling of comfort, she reasoned. If, god forbid, one of the residents got loose, it would take long enough for them to make it to her that she'd have plenty of time to arm herself._

_In some ways the distance frightened her though. The creatures she'd gone to such pains to find were her friends for the most part and, considering she was yet to properly staff the place, they were all she had here. _

_James had offered to come with her, even for a short stay but, in her stubbornness, Helen had shrugged him off. Now she was half tempted to write him and beg that he come visit as soon as possible even though the letter would take weeks to arrive._

_Gritting her teeth, Helen burrowed further beneath her covers, fingers and toes twisting in the sheets. _

_She was not afraid, she was not afraid._

_She didn't know afraid, she'd never done afraid. Hadn't her mother often remarked at her fearless nature?_

_So why was she curled in on herself, body paralysed with fear as she waited for her first night to pass?_

_Not even when she'd been on the Titanic had she been this afraid. _

_She didn't do afraid._

_And then something rattled in the hallway outside her door and Helen yelped._

_She actually yelped._

_A thousand garish curses rushed through her head. _

_She didn't __**do **__afraid. _

_With a deep breath, Helen forced herself to close her eyes and unclench her toes at the very least. She was safe, her friends were here, she was amongst those who cared for her and would protect her from any true danger. James had made sure of that. Even if he hadn't been allowed to come with her, he'd been stubborn to the point of aggravating when it came to choosing the residents they were going to ship over._

_In fact, James had been instrumental in the whole thing. He'd covered her patients when she'd gone to look at the place, he'd walked her through the contract paper work and, whilst renovations were going on, he listened to her prattle on and on about whichever snag was causing her headache that day._

_But when it had come to saying goodbye, he'd been almost as much as a blubbering mess as the rest of their staff. Their goodbye had been loaded with dark looks and James had even given her a deep, promising kiss in front of at least 20 witnesses, much to Helen's shock. They hadn't been together like that in nearly a decade._

_Then another crash sounded and Helen barely stifled her yelp of fear._

_This was stupid, so very stupid. There was nothing to be afraid of._

_But she did not leap out of bed at the thought to charge away and find out what was banging about. _

_In fact, what she did do was try and recall every kiss she'd ever been given. Her memory was good and the night was long and soon enough she was smiling to herself about the shy approach Nikola had used to capture her first adult kisses. _

_His moustache had tickled in a surprisingly pleasing way as they'd steadily learned each other to the point where she'd been ready to disrobe for him in the library. _

_After that, it was John who took her kisses. He'd always made her feel small and precious, like a dainty waif that was about to float away if it wasn't for the pressure of his arm around her waist. Of course, their kisses had grown steadily too until the point at which she actually had taken it upon herself to disrobe for him. The sweet shock on his face had been the ego boost she'd needed to slip from the bed and waltz towards him slowly._

_But then their time together ended rather abruptly and, Helen realised, she couldn't actually remember their last kiss. She pushed the thought from her mind. The next kiss she had received was from Nigel, his drunken attempt at seduction making her laugh heartily at his expense the next morning. _

_He hadn't tried again for more than thirty years._

_Then came a few anonymous men and a single curious woman who had shocked Helen's sensibilities. _

_A little while on was James, dear James with his fumbling hands and his throaty moans. There had been something boyish about kissing him. In many ways, he had seemed more innocent than Nikola. _

_Between them all were a few others, women and men and, occasionally she would return to Nikola and his quiet calm that he could exude when they kissed. He was one of the best kissers on the planet, Helen decided sleepily. It was a great shame he was dead..._

_And then, next thing she knew, it was morning. _

_The sun was streaming in through the window, clear and bright and she smiled. _

_Next time Helen heard a bang in the middle of the night, she didn't hide beneath the covers. _

_After all, morning would always come. _


	11. A Family Thing

_**Christmas 1995:**_

"_No, Ash!" Henry whined, pulling a face. "C'mon, can't I have one night off?"_

"_Please?" she begged in return, tugging on his hand. "Please, Henry, please, please, please?"_

_Henry made another face and looked to Helen for help but she merely chuckled, holding her hands up as she watched their antics from her place on the couch. The room was lavishly decorated with hundreds of handmade decorations and what Helen suspected had been the entire tinsel section in every shop in a three mile radius. Ashley had been in charge of decorations which, in retrospect, Helen realised was a mistake._

_Even her old friend hadn't been able to rein her in though Helen suspected that that had more to do with a lack of want more than anything else._

"_Maybe later," Henry tried, making to shake Ashley off but the eight year old was relentless. _

"_You said that last night and then she," Helen got an accusatory look at that point, "made me go to bed!"_

"_Speaking of which," Helen said, making to stand._

"_No!" Ashley cried in dismay. "No, no, no! It's Christmas Eve, please, can't I stay up just a bit longer?"_

"_You heard the boss lady," Henry said cheerfully, sounding relieved. Helen sighed and pursed her lips, enjoying Henry's newfound look of distress._

"_Do you promise to go straight to bed when I tell you?" she asked her daughter who was still giving her the most imploring look in her repertoire._

"_Yes!" Ashley cried, nodding vehemently. _

"_And you'll brush your teeth without complaint?"_

"_Of course!"_

"_And you'll not sneak out of bed before 6am?"_

"_I'll stay in bed until dinner time!" she cried passionately. _

_Helen pretended to mull it over, watching as Henry started to edge towards the door. Her old friend stood as subtly as he could manage and moved to busy himself just in front of the exit Henry had been aiming for. _

"_Alright. One more hour."_

_Ashley let out a squeal of delight as Henry flushed bright red. Almost immediately she skipped back to his side, tugging on the oddly loose pants he was wearing. Helen knew they were supposedly in style but she didn't understand what Henry found so attractive about their style. Perhaps he was trying to toss off his otherwise good-boy reputation. _

"_Now you have to sing with me!" Ashley cried happily. "Mom, go put the record on again. Quick, before he runs away!"_

_Chuckling, Helen stood slowly and did as her daughter asked, setting the needle carefully in place. A few beats of scratchy silence passed before the first strains of the song floated through the room. Ashley was practically jumping up and down on Henry's arm with excitement. _

_She nodded out the beats, eyes alive with joy as Helen watched on from her position beside the gramophone. _

"_I really can't stay," she sung, looking up to Henry as prompt but the teenager merely made a pained face. _

"_I've got to go 'way," she continued, holding his arm even more firmly, eyes wide in a plea Helen was sure he'd not deny for long._

"_This evening has been... So very nice," Ashley continued, starting to sound a little angry. The thought of Ashley throwing a tantrum had Helen about ready to step in but, with a heavy sigh, Henry cut in smoothly. _

"_I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice..."_

_Ashley squealed with excitement once more, missing her next line but Henry was ready with his._

"_Hey beautiful, what's your hurry?"_

_And father will be pacing the floor (Listen to that fireplace roar)  
So really, I'd better scurry (Beautiful, please don't hurry)  
Well, maybe just a half a drink more (Put some music on while I pour)_

_Henry was well on his way to smiling now, pulling faces and goofing about just as they had always done together. Ashley was throwing herself into the number wholeheartedly, going so far as to flutter her eyelashes at her big brother in a manner that made Helen certain there'd come a time when her shotgun would indeed be used to fend off admirers._

The neighbours might think (Baby, it's bad out there)  
Say, what's in this drink (No cabs to be had out there)  
I wish I knew how (Your eyes are like starlight now)  
To break this spell (I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell)

_With a flourish, Henry ruffled Ashley's golden mop of hair and Helen smiled as she watched her daughter recoil in mock horror. Henry gave her his most debonair bow too, earning another peal of laughter and Helen wondered if her shotgun might be needed in the next few months or so. If Henry could get over his infernal inability to talk to girls, he'd be something of a heartbreaker himself._

I oughtta say no, no, no sir (You mind if I move in closer)  
At least I'm gonna say that I tried (And what's the sense in hurting my pride)  
I really can't stay (Oh baby, don't hold out)  
Oh, but it's cold outside

_As they sang the last line together, Henry pulled Ashley up into his arms, swinging her around with another grin. A grunt of laughter caught Helen's attention and she turned just in time to see a warm smile grace her old friend's face. Christmas had always been an important time to him but ever since Ashley was born and Henry had arrived, it had become an even bigger event for him. In fact, the sheer number of decorations he'd managed to cram into her sitting room this year was beyond measure._

I simply must go (It's cold outside)  
The answer is no (Baby, it's cold outside)  
The welcome has been (So lucky that you dropped in)  
So nice and warm (Look out the window at that storm)

_Growing up, Helen had longed for Christmas time to come around. It was the only time she was ever guaranteed of her father's presence, even before her mother passed away. It was, to Helen's mind, a family time. Though that didn't stop her from setting her alarm as she had so that tomorrow she could squeeze in a little paper work before the morning's festivities. After all, if she wanted to really enjoy the day with her family, she need peace of mind. Right?_

My sister will be suspicious (Your lips look delicious)  
My brother will be there at the door (I ain't worried about you brother)  
My maiden aunt's mind is vicious (That ol' biddy, she ain't gonna bother me)  
Well maybe just a cigarette more (You don't need no cigarette, it's smokin' plenty up in here)

_As Ashley sashayed her way across the room, Helen chuckled softly, unwilling to reprimand her as she clambered up the sofa. Henry however, was on to it already, crossing the room in a few big strides and scooped her up over his shoulder so that her last line dissolved into giggles until he set her down neatly on the floor._

I've got to get home (Baby, you'll freeze out there)  
Say, lend me a comb (It's up to your knees out there)  
You've really been grand (I thrill when you touch my hand)  
Oh, but don't you see (How can you do this thing to me)

_With a flourish, Henry held his hand out to Ashley, pulling her once again into his arms as she perched on his toes. Their height made it awkward but together they managed something of a waltz about the room._

There's bound to be talk tomorrow (Well, think of my lifelong sorrow)  
At least there will be plenty implied (If you caught pneumonia and died)  
I really can't stay (Get over that hold out)  
Oh, but baby it's cold outside

_And, as the song came to an end, Henry slung Ashley up onto his back, much to her delight._

"_Oof," he grunted, scowling. "You're almost too big for this!"_

"_Never!" Ashley cried. "Now go, take me to my room, faithful steed!"_

_Henry rolled his eyes but made his way towards Helen with a badly concealed grin. _

"_Sleep well," she said, kissing them both on the cheek, stoking Ashley's hair. "I'll come wake you for presents?"_

"_Really, really early," Ashley said, nodding from where she was clutching to Henry's back. "As soon as Santa's gone."_

"_How about as soon as my alarm goes?" she offered as a compromise. Her daughter pouted but Henry made a face. _

"_You guys are such morning people," he grumbled half heartedly. _

"_Well then go to bed," she teased. "Perhaps an early night will do you good."_

_Rolling his eyes, Henry kissed her on the cheek and trudged away, only to stop just in front of the Big Guy. _

"_You aren't going to kiss us too?" he asked, earning a displeased grunt._

"_If she wasn't protecting your head," her old friend threatened, raising a hand as a taunt. Henry merely grinned but Ashley was apparently fed up._

"_Hurry up, Henry," she urged. "The earlier we get to sleep, the sooner we can open presents!"_

* * *

**All right, so I think I might add dates to these, just in case that's what is confusing people :)**

**xx**


	12. The Cavalry and Stilettos

Nikola was... well, not sulking. Sulking required petulance and this was a step beyond that. And not so much petulant is it was warranted. He didn't want to believe Rose any more than the children apparently did but deep down he knew it unlikely that she was wrong. Rose didn't do wrong. Or melodramatics.

All right, so the last one she did a bit but not like this. If she was on the verge of tears it wasn't a joke or even one of Helen's elaborate plans. This was genuine fear.

So he was sort of sulking in the corner, tablet in front of him as he watched the heads of house file into the room.

First came the Japanese Head, lanky arms laden with paper as she sank into the nearest chair. Obviously she hadn't been told of why they were gathered or Nikola assumed that she'd look far less put out at being dragged down here. It wasn't that they didn't do face to face meetings often but generally Helen allowed everyone to phone in from their sector. It made things quicker and easier for all involved.

The woman shot Nikola a surprised look and tentative smile before dropping her gaze to the mess of documents before her. They didn't really get on so Nikola wasn't surprised when the woman made no move to talk to him.

Next came Kate with another three heads of house. New York, Paraguay and Norway followed her, all looking perplexed. Paraguay waved briefly to Nikola as Iceland rolled his eyes in Japan's direction. Kate spoke briefly to them all, something about getting started as soon as possible before wandering over to Nikola in his corner.

She sat next to him without a word, shoulders slumped.

Before Nikola could tell her where to disappear to, the door to the conference room swung open again, a flood of five Head's wandering in, chatting amiably amongst themselves. Brazil, Mumbai and China were laughing freely at something Germany had said while Moscow glared at the strapping young German man. The group quietened, picking up on the slightly tense atmosphere.

In absolute silence the previously jolly group took their seats, looking between each other uncertainly.

For a minute no one spoke, cold silence falling over them all. Nikola scanned the room, trying to discern how much everyone knew. By the looks of it, nothing. They all seemed far too at ease considering what was going on. Of course, there was still an uncertainty about them but they weren't terrified like they ought to be.

A timid looking Dallas poked her head around the door before stepping into the room and holding the door open for Nepal to wheel herself in, her low tech wheelchair squeaking away as Brazil and Mumbai shifted to make space for her. Soft greetings were offered as Cape Town made their way in shortly after, leaving the hodge podge group sitting about uneasily. Very few words were exchanged as they waited for the final three chairs to be filled.

Well, two, Nikola thought, bile rising in his throat. The leather chair at one end of the table would never be filled.

The thought filled him with a fresh wave of nausea so he brushed it aside, instead busying himself with the computer monitors in the corner, hooking in his tablet as he did a quick search once more for the tracking device that couldn't have simply disappeared.

A small cough from the conference table caught his attention and Nikola turned, glaring daggers at the lot of them.

"What are we-."

"Hi!" a chirpy voice sang out as the doors flew open again, cutting off what would no doubt be a scathing comment from Moscow. "Sorry I'm late, I got caught up figuring out how to operate the pods and then ended up outside New York's sector and then I decided to walk it rather than risk ending up in Timbuktu or god only knows where else."

She smiled at everyone, not picking up on the sombre mood of those assembled before shaking bronze ringlets from her eyes.

Then she froze.

"Just take a seat Amanda," Daniel, Head of New York said kindly, gesturing to the space beside him.

"What's going on?" the young Australian head breathed and Nikola's heart clenched. She was the youngest head by at least a decade and while he'd never been given reason to doubt her abilities he knew that fact that she was an empath would make this a little more difficult.

Her green eyes darted over to him, gaze piercing but he glared back, hoping like hell she'd back off.

"I don't understand."

"Zere is much you do not understand," Anya, the Moscow Head drawled, rolling her eyes before rapping her nails against the table. Mandy merely rolled her eyes and slunk towards her designated seat.

"She raises a good point," Cassandra said fairly, the slightly older Nepalese Head bring a sense of wisdom to the table.

"It's not often we get dragged all the way down here," Phillip agreed fairly, folding his four arms across his chest.

"And we just had a conference call the other day," Samuel said, agreeing with his South African counterpart.

"I really think you should just all calm down," Paisley said softly, her violet eyes making the rounds as she released some kind of pheromone that made Nikola's nose itch. The American from Dallas had her uses but she always made him sneeze.

"Some of us were a little busy," Elysa put in, gesturing to the pile of documents she'd lugged in.

"And how come Declan got out of coming to this?" Marcus asked, his thick German accent marring the words enough to make Nikola cringe.

Garcin and Fredric nodded, the Norwegian looking pointedly at the two empty seats down one end of the oval table while the Head of Paraguay's sector of the new Sanctuary gave Mandy a pointed look.

"Just chill guys, Magnus will be here any second," Sandra said, the Brazilian leaning back in her chair with an easy smile.

Nikola stiffened at her words, trying not to turn around and make it obvious but he heard the small growl that meant he knew he'd been compromised.

"Out with it Tesla," Daniel said tiredly, shaking his head. "What is it that's got Amanda's hackles up like this?"

"Leave him be," a soft, familiar voice said and Nikola turned, pleased to see Rose walking into the room with a serene yet tight smile across her face. Heinrich and Wilhelm scampered around her, dashing to where Kate was still sitting stony faced. Rose was just making her away around the table when Abby stomped in, blonde hair swinging as she brushed past Rose to dump a handful of files in front of Nikola. Then, with a pout Nikola could only describe as impressive, she turned and leant against the nearest wall, arms crossed.

He watched as William looked guiltily at his girlfriend before his nervous gaze skittered to where Rosie stood beside Helen's chair at the end of the table.

Well that explained it, he thought, fighting the urge to shake his head. The thought turned his stomach but he brushed it off, instead focusing on the way that Rose and John shared a small smile of greeting as the man strode into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Declan shall be along in a moment," she said softly, gazing around the table. "I do hope it's all right if I start without him."

No one spoke, only a few nodded heads giving her assent and Nikola watched in awe.

"I don't know how many of you know who I am," she began, looking down nervously and a lock of hair fell from the messy bun she had the soft brown curls piled in. "Some of you I have met before but others... Well, I'm afraid I haven't had that pleasure."

"We know who you are," Daniel said kindly, giving her a warm smile. "You're Rose, yes?"

She cocked her head and blinked.

"Zere's a file," Anya put in, eyes narrowing. "Is it true what zey say?"

"And what do they say?" Rose asked smoothly but Nikola could see something akin to anger rolling off her.

"Dat you fly."

He almost smirked at that.

"Perhaps one day I shall show you the full extent of my gifts," Rose said graciously, head bowed but he felt her mental laughter at the insolent woman. "However for now I suggest we focus. I'm assuming you all do not know why you have been summoned?"

"Where is Magnus?" Mandy asked, her voice a dark and menacing whisper.

Rose's head snapped up and she locked eyes with the young empath. After a minute she took a deep breath.

"If you would all be so kind as to shut your eyes," she said softly, not breaking eye contact with Mandy. "From what I understand it makes the experience less jarring."

One by one they all shut their eyes, sharing sceptical looks before they did so. Nikola had to give them credit, they were well trained if they submitted so blindly to another's will. Or maybe it was more that they'd been properly educated on Rose and what she entailed.

The last thought earned him a brief smile over her shoulder before she steadied herself, closing her eyes and bracing her hands on the table.

Then, all of a sudden something flooded Nikola's vision. Vaguely he was aware that it must have been happening to all of them due to the abundance of gasps and muttered curses but he couldn't really focus on that. Instead he was preoccupied with Rose's mind as it showed them all something far more advanced than any tracking system he had ever come up with for Helen.

She was searching the minds of every person on earth, sweeping from thought to thought, each head presenting a different flavour. She flicked through a few minds, those she knew and those she didn't before finally the breadth of her adoration for Helen became apparent. There was such sweetness and tenderness in her mind that it shocked Nikola and he found himself breathless.

And then she began to search for Helen's mind amongst the crowds of other mental voices. Her fear was clear when it became immediately apparent that she wasn't there and Nikola's own heart clenched.

Slowly the image and Rose's pain faded, leaving Nikola blinking dumbly.

Then, as if a signal that they all needed to draw themselves out of their pain, the lights flickered briefly.

Nikola frowned and looked down at his tablet. Apparently they needed the power source he'd been working on more than Helen had let on. It was the whole reason he'd been sent topside. Well, that and they'd been having trouble keeping their hands from one another in the most inappropriate of situations. One team meeting they'd been seated side by side and ended up with their hands so high up each other's legs that Nikola had required several minutes of sitting alone after the others had left to regain control over himself.

They'd both agree a bit of space wouldn't hurt.

For some reason they'd shied away from actually sleeping together, stupid ideas about having all the time in the world. Now Nikola hated himself for leaving her.

He pushed away the gnawing pit of unease in his stomach, instead focusing on the bickering table of heads. They sound eerily reminiscent of the children when they had arrived barely two hours ago.

Several languages were bounding around the room, all perfectly discernible to Nikola's ear and each convey the same thing. Fear.

None of them seemed to believe Rose, all shouting vehemently at each other and at her. Rose remained silent, not responding to the words except for an occasional flinch.

Only when the great double doors swung open once more did silence fall, allowing an out of breath figure to sprint in, a pair of royal blue satin stilettos clutched in one hand.

"What the bloody hell is going on?"


	13. Her Girl

**Just a little FYI, this is a revamped and extended version of a previous story I've written about Ashley's birth. Because it's one I've used before, I'll try and update again tomorrow because the next chapter is fresh and fun :P**

**xx**

* * *

**May 16****th****, 1986:**

"_Push Helen, push, you're doing brilliantly," the midwife urged as Helen screamed. "Just one more, I can see the head!"_

_DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM TO HELL! Helen thought as she panted. She was exhausted and angry and far too close to tears for her liking. As thankful as she was she was doing this in a modern hospital, she was cursing her decision to bring another life into the world, into her world. It was no safer than the one this child was conceived in._

_She could hear the women around her telling her to breathe, that she was doing fantastically, that pretty soon she'd be holding her child in her arms but all she could think of was John._

_Every second of the past 17 hours she'd been half expecting him to teleport into the room, cruel smirk in place. The pain had built slowly, starting with a dull ache in her lower back, giving her the chance to think about what she was doing in far too much detail. Even as the pain built, he'd never been far from her mind, always taunting her and, by the time she was screaming, face turning puce with the effort, his presence was threatening to say the least._

"_No, please," she cried softly, eyes scrunched shut. He was going to come and take her baby, she was sure of that. He was going to hurt both of them, make her pay for even thinking about introducing a child into her dangerous life. "No," she whimpered once more before another contraction overtook her._

_Then she was screaming, tears rolling down her face as she began to lament everything her baby would never have. This tiny baby (that didn't feel so bloody tiny) would never have a real father, not in the way Helen had, never know what a loving home felt like. Sure James had promised to be there for her but it wasn't the same. Throwing her head back as she squeezed the poor midwife's hand for all she was worth, Helen knew her child would never have a normal life. Nor would it ever see its mother age or have siblings of any sort. What kind of human being was she to bring a child into the world knowing the life it would have? Tears began to fall again but this time it had nothing to do with the pain._

"_Oh God," she choked out, her entire body tensing as she focus all that terrible tension on her bludging stomach. "No, no, no, no, no," she whispered, eyes flying open as another scream tore from her throat. "NO! HE CAN'T!" she cried. It wasn't right, it wasn't right, it wasn't right, she thought as her body fell back against the bed, limp and drained. Sweat was pouring off her body as she drew laboured breaths through chapped lips._

"_It's O.K honey, you're almost there," the rather disturbed looking midwife said encouragingly. "Are you sure there isn't anyone we could call? Perhaps that gentleman who came in with you?"_

_Helen shook her head as vigorously as she could. "Just me," she managed to breath before another contraction took over her body. A guttural cry flew from her mouth as she arched her back, pushing for all she was worth._

"_That's it Helen!" one of the other nurses cried happily. "We can see the head!" Gritting her teeth, Helen ignored the woman and the niggling voice in her head that told her to stop, groaning and throwing her head back as she pushed and pushed and pushed._

_Everyone in the room was cheering her on, telling her how fantastic she was, how close she was and, when finally, with a dark, rumbling growl she felt that tiny body leave her own, they all let out exclamations of congratulations. However, their words fell on deaf ears. As she fell back to the bed, wanting nothing more than to sink into the mattress and sleep for eternity, all she could hear was the pounding of blood in her ears. Tears still flowing, Helen muttered a small prayer._

_Just as her mind started to go numb, a startling cry dragged her out of her stupor. Something about it, so insistent, so demanding, called to her, made her heart ache. Something was wrong and she knew it. Instantly she fought the gentle arms of the midwives, struggling to sit up. Then a small, wailing, flailing bundle was thrust into her arms and nothing mattered. Not John, not the pain, not the future, not anything._

_Staring down at the small child in her arms, the small girl she corrected to herself, the rest of the world became nothing more than background noise._

"_Hi," Helen whispered as new tears began to fall down her face but these were not tears of fear, they were tears of pure joy._

"_Did you want me to get your friend in here?" the midwife asked again, drawing Helen's attention away from the girl in her arms. "Or perhaps there is someone you want to call? A father maybe?"_

_Helen smiled brilliantly at the woman through her tears before she returned her attention back to her daughter._

"_No, no one. Not yet anyway," she choked out with a small laugh._

"_She's mine."_

_The small being in her arms gurgled softly in agreement and Helen smiled as tears again welled in her eyes. Her daughter. Her child. Her reason for living._

_James could wait, she was more than happy to be greedy and claim the attentions of this little one for a while to come. People were fussing about her legs, cleaning her up and removing towels and such but it all faded into the background as puffy eyelids opened ever so slightly and Helen's heart clenched. Fat fists were fighting against blanket she was swaddled in, pushing in a way that told Helen her daughter was a fighter. Hell, if she survived being frozen for a century, the girl was bound to be stronger than she looked._

_And then suddenly she being ripped from Helen's arms. Immediately the baby began to scream, a shrill, painful noise that Helen wanted to echo. She knew, as a doctor, that they had to check the baby out, to clean her up much the same as they'd need to do the same to her but her arms felt empty and her heart broke at the cries of her daughter._

_Only when they were reunited did the queer feeling around her chest dissipate. She held the baby as tightly as she dared, unable to stop smiling at the red little face nestled against her chest. Theoretically Helen knew of the chemicals in her body that formed her reflex to keep the child with her but she was not prepared for just how strong those feelings would be. Now she knew she could never leave the child, she was bound to it in a way she hadn't really expected. This was more than she could comprehend._

_And, most astoundingly, she didn't want to share her daughter with anyone. Ever._

_Her daughter._

_Her daughter._

_Her daughter._

_It was strangely comforting to be able to call her that. Her daughter. Not the product of a madman and a thirst for knowledge of all that was considered illicit to someone of her sex. Her daughter._

_And, she supposed, running a finger across one plump cheek, her daughter deserved a name._

_She didn't have to think about that one. Ashley. At the time it had been chosen for a boy but, with changing times and all that it now worked for her little baby girl._

_Ashley._

_They'd been rather drunk one evening, curled before the fire place with heads and hands lounging in places they shouldn't be resting and James had asked her if she ever intended to have a family. She's suspected at the time that he was asking on John's behalf but before she could state as much, Nikola had jumped in with a snort, his hand still running through her hair. He'd argued that her child would be her discoveries, her break throughs and her miracles. Since science was her master, she'd have to have his children._

_She's brushed off his words, knowing they were partially true but she refused to tell him as such, instead informing James that she'd once or twice wondered after having children._

_Nikola had immediately asked if she would name her son after him. She'd slapped his chest and said her preference for a boy's name would be Ashley. They'd debated the merits of different names for a few minutes before James had left, speaking of sleep, leaving Nikola to end up straddling her, their lips dancing together as her hands explored his chest._

_Sighing at the memory, Helen pushed it away. She had her daughter and while she loved the idea of being able to share this strange young creature with her boys, she contented herself with knowing that at least James could play uncle to her._

_Lifting her head, she smiled to see James in the doorway, a bunch of apricot coloured roses in his hand._

"_Come in James, I think Ashley would very much like to meet her uncle."_


	14. A Night At The Pub

_**May, 1879:**_

"_Are you sure this will work?" Helen asked, tugging absently at her ill fitting waistcoat._

"_No one will be able to tell," Nigel assured her as he straightened her cap._

"_I look ridiculous," she muttered darkly. _

"_You do not," he tried. "Just keep your head down and speak with an accent like Nikola's. No one will question it."_

_Helen sent him an uncertain look before turning to James._

_He held up his hands as if fending her off._

"_You wanted this, Helen. Don't start dragging me into it, you know my views already."_

_She pulled a face and turned away from him to cast one more look over her attire in the mirror. Part of her mind was disapproving of the fact that she had four young men standing in her bedroom but the trousers, dress shirt, waistcoat and jacket she wore took precedence with her moral centre._

"_I look odd," she muttered, narrowing her eyes._

"_I like the pants?" Nikola offered. Someone thumped him on the shoulder and Helen turned just in time to see him shrug at her innocently. "You're much littler than I thought," he tried by way of explanation. "With all those skirts I thought you would be... bigger."_

"_Watch your tongue, Tesla," John said darkly, giving the other man a glare. _

_Helen merely rolled her eyes at both of them and went back to fussing with her appearance. _

"_Look, Helen, if you want to do this, then I don't think you have much of a choice," Nigel said reasonably. "The clothes fit, there ain't much more we can do."_

"_I know, and I am truly thankful to you Nigel for setting all this up for me. It's just that..."_

"_If you're not comfortable..." John offered. _

"_No," Helen said firmly. "No, let us go. I want to come with you tonight."_

_And she meant it. She'd spent ages wanting to go with the boys to a pub for the evening. It seemed like a foreign world to her, filled with mystery and intrigue in the form of ale. Not that she hadn't been to her share of seedy establishments but that wasn't what she wanted. Nor did she want a dinner out with them either. She wanted an evening with no pressure, no decorum, where she was neither host nor the anomaly dining with too many male companions at once._

_Plus the boys always seemed to have such fun on nights like this. _

_Gathering her wits, Helen turned to them, gesturing for them to lead the way. James and John both shook their heads as they headed out the door, Nigel not far behind them. Nikola hung back though and offered his arm to her. _

"_You do look very nice," he said earnestly as she accepted it. "Before... I didn't mean to say you looked big in your dresses... It's just that there is an awful lot of fabric..."_

_Helen laughed as he stumbled through his apology before shifting closer to him._

"_I took no offence," she assured him. "And you're right, I do feel much smaller dressed like this. I believe I could even step into a carriage without assistance."_

_Nikola chuckled, shaking his head._

"_One day, all women shall be allowed to dress like this," he said, eyeing her. "It is far more practical than all that lace and... and... and fluff."_

"_Oh I don't know," Helen said coyly as they walked towards the stairs. "I won't deny that this is far more comfortable than a corset but I know the power my skirts can hold with all their lace and fluff."_

"_If more people could see you dressed like this, less people would be enraptured by your skirts," he told her firmly. "Now come. We have to get you well and truly... I believe the word Nigel uses is plastered."_

_Helen laughed but allowed him to lead her towards the front door._

* * *

_The walk to the pub was quiet and uneventful much to Helen's surprise. She'd expected to have been accosted several times already but, as they settled themselves into one corner of the already bustling pub, Helen had to bite back a smile._

_This might actually work._

"_Slouch," someone hissed in her ear, a thumb poking at her ribs. She turned to see Nikola glaring at her. "Slouch," he said again. "You're sitting like a girl."_

_Alarm flooded through her as she quickly worked to mimic the way Nigel was lounging across from her._

_Which, of course, prompted them all to break out into a fit of laugher. _

"_You're too easy," Nikola teased, taking a sip of the wine he'd ordered._

"_And you are a horrible friend," she retorted under her breath, slapping his stomach with the back of her hand. _

"_Welcome to an evening at the pub, Helen," James muttered, shaking his head. "You've much to learn."_


	15. Captive III

"They're getting clearer."

"I lowered the dose like you said. She should come around soon."

Imogene chuckled.

"She will never come around, or haven't you read the file?"

"I didn't mean it that way, Dr. Martin."

"It's all right Carla, it was a joke."

"Oh."

Shifting her weight, Imogene fought the urge to sigh. This was simply taking too long.

"Increase the dose of the solution and lower the sedative."

"Why? She'll be awake in a day or so, surely they can wait until-."

"Now Carla. We're just over a week out. It has to be now."

"So it's started?"

"The letter has been... _sent_, yes."

"And any response?"

"Well, they seem frustrated but they haven't managed to piece it all together it seemed. It seems the rogue element is not as... powerful as we had feared."

"I can't believe it worked..."

"I know, I'm surprised myself," Imogene said uneasily. She didn't like surprises.

"Considering how long it took to reproduce the specific cellular structure I was a little shocked that they let us bypass the testing phase."

"It is a testament to how much they believe in your ability."

Imogene was unsurprised to watch the other woman roll her eyes at the comment.

"You guys were getting desperate," she muttered, turning away. Imogene bristled. She didn't do desperate.

"Wake her up. Now. We should have been speaking to her yesterday."

"Yes, Dr. Martin."


	16. Oh

For a moment no one spoke and Will held his breath.

"Rose?"

"Where did you find those?" Kate cut in, pointing to the heels. The newcomer carefully placed them on the table, breathing heavily.

"In the pod," he wheezed. "It stalled just before I got in though, I thought we were working on the power problems."

"I am," Tesla snapped.

"Rose? What's going on?" Declan panted, apparently only just realising that it wasn't the usual gang gathered before him. "Why are you here?"

"What's in your hand, Dec?" she asked softly, eyes fixed on his clenched fist. Refocusing his eyes Will noticed something poking out between the other man's fingers. Declan looked down briefly, grabbing the shoes before hurrying around to Rose. The fact that the two had met didn't surprise Will in the slightest but the hand that rubbed soothing circles in the centre of Rose's back did. His hackles rose at the intimate gesture but he couldn't figure out why and it only grew worse as Rose leant into the touch, giving Declan a warm smile before plucking whatever was in his hand from his grasp.

Quickly her eyes scanned the contents of what turned out to be a note. The paper was thick, of the kind of quality Magnus kept on hand a lot of the time. He could just make out some black cursive across the page through the small gaps in their bodies but Rose shook her head.

"It was tucked into the shoes," Declan said as she passed the paper to the nearest Head of House, leaning forward to pick up one of the shoes gingerly. She inspected it carefully before looking back up to Declan.

"They're her size."

"Magnus was wearing them this morning," Kate put in quietly, causing everyone to turn and look at her. "They matched her top. I gave her a hard time about how painful they looked."

"I saw her in them too," Phillip, the South African said. The note was making its way around the table, each Head taking their time to puzzle over it. One or two sniffed it, another licked the corner before grimacing and even Mandy closed her eyes as if trying to pick up something from the paper alone.

"Who was the last to see her?" Rose asked quickly, looking around the room. Her eyes landed on Will briefly and he was fairly certain a small blush rose in her cheeks at the action. Then he risked a glance to Abby and his heart jumped into his throat. Her expression was more thunderous than Magnus' on a really, _really_ bad day. Just what he needed, an angry girlfriend. Because dealing with a possibly dead boss wasn't enough.

No one answered, each looking pointedly at someone else.

Rose sighed.

"Henry?" Declan cut in swiftly, "Can you get the security feeds up?"

"On it," Tesla said gruffly and Henry quickly made his way across to the computers. Both men worked silently for a moment before a holographic screen sprung up in the middle of the table, the cube displaying the footage from some corridor to everyone in the room. They watched as Magnus strolled down the corridor, her royal blue heels matching the silky top she wore, just as Kate had said. On her face she wore a small smirk and in her hand was a tiny cell phone that she kept toying with. The perspective changed to follow her down another corridor and this time a soft hum filtered through the rather patchy sound.

"Why is Magnus humming?" Henry asked, sounding utterly confused but no one answered him, instead watching her progression through the corridors until she began to slow, glancing to her phone with another secret smile. Turning, she reached for a door knob and then the image on the screen flickered to black for all of a nano second. When the picture resumed, the corridor was empty, the door she'd opened swinging in the breeze.

"How the hell does she just disappear?" Daniel growled, eyes flashing brilliant red with his anger.

"What happened to the screen?" Mandy put in.

"Ze are right," Anya drawled. "Zere is somesing wrong wiz ze cameras."

"No, no the camera's are fine," Henry said distractedly, scratching his head. "I mean... It's... I think it's the power surges that keep knocking them out."

"They're on a completely separate grid," Tesla spat, shooing away Henry as he took over the rapid typing. "Any surges shouldn't have this effect."

"Which means it's deliberate," Declan said, looking down to Rose once more in question.

"It's bad, Dec," she whispered, swallowing before turning back to the group.

The note, having made it around the table once was now offered to Will. He stood slowly and took it from Paisley as she offered it to him. The woman smiled softly, sadness in her eyes and Will tried to return the gesture. She was his occasional drinking buddy since they'd come down here, having found of a fan of Guinness in her. They spent evenings sitting in one of the only bars Magnus had thought to create, drinking, joking and with Will watching as she hit on the abnormal he suspected was actually her long term girlfriend considering the way they always ended up walking out hand in hand. Will wasn't one to question anyone else's sexual games and put it down to just another quirk of working with such a varied group of people.

He nodded in thanks and took the note, returning to his seat and sinking into it before opening the note.

"Has anyone else had problems with power?" Rose was asking the group. "Anything that doesn't make sense?"

Will paid no attention to her, instead running his fingers over the smooth, thick paper. It had only one message, nothing on the other side. Only the words 'For Vienna' marked the page in black scrawl that belonged to a different era. It meant nothing to Will so he shrugged, passing the note to Kate who still sat next to him before turning his attention back to the table.

"Could this mean someone has taken her?" Sandra asked.

"No," Rose said quickly, cutting off any other talk. "If she was taken I'd be able to hear her still."

"Maybe they blocked you?" Declan offered.

"How?" Rose countered. "No one has been able to do so for centuries and I highly doubt there are any vampires left on this planet. I'd have sensed them before now. No one is thinking of her outside of this city. No one is plotting torture or trying to keep her hidden. There is no mention of her in anyone's mind!" By the end of her tirade Rose was red in the face, hands balled as she glared at those seated around the table as if daring them to contradict her.

"Let's try and stay hopeful," Declan said softly, his hand once more rubbing circles between her shoulder blades. "We don't know anything yet."

"Yeah, we should find out more about what is messing with the camera's first," Mandy put in, flashing the other woman a small smile.

"I thought the Serb was working on it," Samuel said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to where Tesla was working in the corner. "I mean, the power issues and everything."

"I was," Tesla countered through gritted teeth. "However designing a method to stabilise and regulate the power of a facility this size is a rather sizable task, one I'm simply dying to see you take on."

Samuel rolled his eyes but Will caught Rose's smirk at her friends behaviour.

"Here, I have a question," Daniel put in. "Where was Magnus going?"

"That's our residential wing," Will put in. "The door she was opening was to her bedroom."

"Having a nap in the middle of the day?" Declan asked sceptically. "That doesn't sound like our Magnus."

"She wasn't going to have a nap," Tesla said, sounding exasperated. "Did no one see the phone in her hand?"

"Well why was she going to her room to make a call?" Will countered. Then the vampire did something completely unexpected. He blushed. Well, as close to blushing as the undead could get, Will supposed. He looked down sheepishly, avoiding everyone's gaze as he cleared his throat.

"Shewassupposedtocallme."

Will's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"What?"

"When we spoke yesterday she said she'd call me around 11am," the other man admitted, still not meeting Will's eye.

"Why?" Henry asked, cocking his head. "You send reports every few days. Was there something new? Did you figure it out?"

At that Tesla looked distinctly uncomfortable, his eyes flicking to Rose momentarily before he was fiddling with the cuffs of his suit once more.

Rose sighed and shook her head, a tiny smile flirting with the corner of her lips.

"We were just... going to chat," Tesla said, sounding embarrassed beyond belief that he had scheduled a phone call with Magnus. Will couldn't figure out why he seemed so uncomfortable but a small voice in his head told him not to push the issue. It took him a second to realise that the voice was in fact Rose. There was an interesting blend of joy, curiosity and down-right jealousy in her mental tone, giving him even more reason to not inquire after the phone call that never happened.

Will shook his head and turned back to Rose, trying not to think about his boss and secret phone calls to the man who'd been actively pursuing her for the better part of a century.

"Well that doesn't leave us with much," Declan said, brow furrowing.

"Perhaps we could all send out some feelers?" Cassandra suggested. "See if anyone has heard about any planned attacks on us? Or even to see if people think she's still alive."

"This better not be another faked death," Kate muttered angrily under her breath and Rose actually chuckled at that.

"While I appreciate that you'd all like to believe that Helen is alive and well... I want you all to know that I fully intend to exact whatever revenge-."

"Oh."

Everyone turned, looking to the man who had interrupted Rose's adamant speech with such a simple phrase.

"Oh," Tesla said again, eyes not straying from the note that had finally made it to his hands. He looked up, straight at Rose.

He walked slowly towards her, ducking around to pick up one of her shoes. He looked at the shoe for a moment before rereading the note.

"Oh."

"What have you done now?" Will asked, the tension around his heart dissipating slightly. Perhaps this was just some hinkey project Tesla had accidentally left running and now Magnus was perfectly safe but trapped in... in another dimension or something. It was Tesla, God only knew what kind of madness that man could create.

"Technically, not my fault," Tesla said, frowning in Will's direction. "But, I, ah... I think I know why she's disappeared?"


	17. Not Quite The Talk

**Props for this one go to alwayssmilingsam who said she wanted to see Helen and Ashley have 'the talk' only, as someone who never had 'the talk', I wasn't sure how to write it and thus, made it my own way :P**

**xx**

* * *

"_Ashley?"_

"_Mmm?" the teen replied, shovelling down cereal as she flicked through some magazine without even looking up._

"_I think we ought to have a talk," Helen started, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks. Oh God in heaven, why was this so hard? She wasn't exactly sexually naive by any means, she'd had more than her share of lovers in her lifetime but this... this was different._

"_What is it, Mom?" _

_Helen swallowed and carefully seated herself at the table. This was something she knew would have to come at some point but when her daughter was 16? It seemed wrong. Especially considering Helen hadn't been romantically involved with anyone until she was over 30. Yes, different times and all that but surely 16 wasn't average, was it?_

"_I'd like to talk to you about... Eric."_

_Ashley's eyes widened and she swallowed her breakfast before sitting back. The look she gave her mother was one of a deer in the headlights, bright blue eyes startlingly open. She even shook her long fringe back, a true sign she was paying attention._

_Her 'secret' boyfriend had, until the other day brought Helen a great deal of amusement. Ashley knew full well that all communications on the Sanctuary computers were monitored and Helen hadn't even needed Henry to find out exactly why her daughter was suddenly staying back after school just that little bit later for the last few weeks. Their online chats were flirty and sweet and Helen had thought it all rather adorable._

_Until Henry had come to her one long weekend when home from university. He'd been shy all his life but this event had brought forth something even more puzzling. He could barely speak, his cheeks flushed with sheer embarrassment and it had taken several long minutes before he could even utter a single word._

"_Ashley."_

"_What about her?"_

"_She... She's... dating someone."_

"_I know."_

_He'd breathed a sigh of relief at that but then stiffened at the confusion still on her face._

_Several more long minutes later, he'd stuttered the words Helen had never thought to have to hear from her adopted son. They'd sat in stony silence for what had felt like an eternity._

"_I'm sorry, Doc," he'd half whispered. "I just..."_

"_You did the right thing Henry," she assured him with a pat on the back. _

_And so now here she sat, four days later with a purpose in mind but fear in her heart. How could she talk to her daughter about boys? She could have the anatomical talk, go into the physicality of intimacy with her doctor face on but that wasn't what her daughter needed. She knew the mechanics, of that Helen was sure._

_It was a talk that she knew she'd have to have eventually. Even when she grew up it was customary for mothers to talk to their daughters about intimacy and 'bedroom activities' as the maid who had given the speech to Helen had phrased it. This shouldn't be the cause of so much apprehension. _

"_I understand you... ahem, borrowed some supplies from Henry..."_

_The girl's face flushed with embarrassment._

"_... and while I must commend you for choosing to be safe-"_

"_Stopstopstopstopstop!" Ashley nearly shrieked, covering her hands with her ears. _

"_- I also feel that I should perhaps broach the idea of-"_

"_No really! Stop! Please!" She tried to stand and bolt to the door but Helen was quicker, grabbing her wrist. This was a speech she had actually written out and she was damn well going to finish it._

"_-being emotionally mature enough to handle this."_

_Silence fell and Helen grit her teeth._

"_I trust you Ashley and I trust that you know what you're doing but... but he may not understand what he is truly doing. This is... a big... step and... Iwantyoutoknowthatifyouwantt otalkIammorethanwillingtolis ten."_

_She loosened her grip on Ashley's wrist, testing the waters._

"_I know it's probably embarrassing to even think about discussing such things with me but I... Well, I've been there and I understand that sometimes, we all need a chance to unload."_

_Ashley slowly sat back down, eyes dropping to her now soggy bowl of cereal. _

_Helen's heart was pounding but she forced herself to sit back in her chair and relax slightly. _

"_I've always thought," she put in softly when Ashley made no move to talk, "that if you cannot discuss sex, you are not ready to be having it."_

_Ashley's cheeks flushed again and she nodded dumbly. _

"_Are you saying that you think I shouldn't?" the girl asked carefully, now pushing around the cereal in the bowl._

"_No..." Helen replied just as carefully. Ashley looked up and Helen sighed._

"_You're my daughter and I don't ever want to even think about the fact that somebody is... with my baby girl but, while I'd prefer that you became a nun, I understand what it is to want this... this... this experience."_

"_How old were you?"_

_The question made Helen's head spin for a moment and she coughed lightly. _

"_You mean, when I first..."_

"_Yeah..."_

_Helen almost smiled at the memory. They had been very drunk and in reality it wasn't really sex considering his pants never came off but if they hadn't been interrupted she knew where it would have gone. At the time she'd thought so, anyway..._

_And, in truth, it sounded a lot better than the reality which was shortly before her 32nd birthday._

"_29."_

"_What?!" Ashley asked, sounding scandalised. "I mean, that's so... so..."_

"_Old?"_

"_Well, yeah," the girl admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. "How did you wait that long?"_

"_It was expected that a woman save herself for her betrothed," Helen said, fighting a smirk. He most certainly hadn't been her betrothed at any point. _

"_You so didn't," Ashley said with a snort. "You were so a bad girl."_

"_Something like that," Helen allowed wryly. "However I do not expect for you to wait until you reach the seasoned age of 29 before..." And there went the fledgling confidence. _

_Ashley fell back into the uncomfortable silence easily, eyes once again trained on her food._

"_My point is Ashley that... if you need to talk, at any point, you mustn't be afraid to come to me. No matter what, I trust you and I am here for you."_

_At that Ashley finally looked up and smiled. _

"_I know. Why do you think I asked if you wanted to go see a movie tomorrow afternoon?"_


	18. Liberation

**_April, 1880:_**

_One by one they made their way across the stage. Helen smiled and clapped like the rest of the audience, truly pleased for her friends. _

_It wasn't their fault she couldn't join them. James and Nigel looked so resplendent in their robes. John did too to an extent however his six foot plus frame was not adequately covered by the black fabric, leaving a few too many inches of leg and wrist showing. Helen had given him a good ribbing about it, _

_They had, in an attempt to lift her spirits, stolen a gown and cap for her, presenting them to her with a large, garish bunch of flowers. _

_It was a sweet gesture and she thanked them wholeheartedly for it but it did nothing but fuel the pit of resentment inside of her. _

_She had worked as hard as any of them, more so than Nigel probably yet she was forced to sit in the audience as qualifications were handed out. Her marks surpassed the majority of their class, even beating James from time to time but not one of her teachers had recognised that fact. One or two of them had politely asked if she'd be returning to audit the same classes next year considering her friends would no longer be at the university. She'd curtly informed them that she would once again apply to take the subjects as a student, rather than an auditor. _

_She did not have high hopes for her chances though. These past few years she'd been something of a menace, uncaring what the university thought of her and her ways. It was highly unlikely they'd grant her a place as a student. _

_Her father, on the rare occasions he was home, was urging her to pick another university, somewhere less prestigious so that they would be less daunted by taking on a female student but Helen would have none of it. Her father had gone to Oxford and she intended, one day, to walk out of those grand doors in the robes of a scholar. _

_But not today. Today she would watch her three closest friends graduate. _

_She sighed, fanning herself absently before readjusting her skirts. _

_For all the achievements she'd made on these grounds, for all the barriers she'd crossed, today was not her day of celebration. _

_A man on stage in a stately gown was still droning at them, something about prestige and following in footsteps but Helen was barely listening. She was bored. Bored and angry. _

_Biting her lip, she looked towards the doors open to her left. It was a terribly hot day and they'd left them open in the hopes of inviting a breeze through. _

"_Bored yet?" a familiar voice breathed against her ear. _

_Helen only just controlled her yelp._

_A hand drifted to her waist, holding her in place as whoever held her chuckled softly. _

_Somehow, Helen kept herself from turning in her seat. She knew that voice anywhere. Just as she knew those hands against her corseted waist. Only one man drew lines up and down her sides like that._

_Suddenly she felt faint, like she could very well fall back through the chair and into his arms without a care. _

"_Nikola Tesla," she breathed. It had been over six months since she'd seen her best friend after he'd snuck away the day after Christmas. She'd written him angry letters, most of which had gone unanswered. Last she knew, he had been in Prague, trying his hand at yet another university. His most recent letter had given her the impression that he was fitting in just about as well as he had at Oxford. _

"_Miss me?" he whispered, lips brushing against her earlobe. _

"_What are you doing? Anyone could see?" she hissed back, trying not to draw attention to them. She'd chosen a seat way up the back which gave her a modicum of privacy but there was still the worry that someone would turn and see them._

"_You looked bored," he whispered. "I thought I'd spice up your day."_

_Helen bit back a groan before carefully bringing her hand to rest on his. He threaded his fingers through hers and Helen smiled for a moment before pushing him off. _

"_Get away from me," she hissed, straightening her back. _

"_Come with me," he asked softly. "It's too hot in here anyway. You must be just about dying under all those layers."_

_Helen pursed her lips but said nothing._

"_Oh come now, Helen," he tried again. "The boys won't hold it against you if you slip out now. They've all got brothers and mothers and the like to deal with after this."_

"_No, leave me be, Nikola," she muttered, trying to pay some attention to the stage. _

"_I missed you," he tried, pleading with her as his hands went back to her waist. "Please. We'll be back by the time it's all over."_

_He lay his head on her shoulder, his hands wresting benignly around her middle and Helen felt herself cave. Nikola was always her partner in crime. And he wasn't graduating either. Perhaps it was right to spend today with him once more..._

_Well, after she beat him soundly for running away in the first place. _

_Taking a quick look around, Helen steeled herself, taking a deep breath before standing up and, as quietly as her skirts would allow, walking towards the door. If anyone asked, she'd simply blame the heat._

_She didn't hear Nikola's footsteps behind her but she wasn't naive enough to think that meant he wasn't following. She kept walking away from the main building until she was certain they'd not be disturbed. Helen paused by an arch way, turning with a scowl for Nikola._

_He grinned broadly at her, arms open in greeting as he waltzed towards her. _

_Helen brought her hand up and slapped his cheek with all she had._

"_Ow!" he cried, eyeing her angrily. "What was that for?"_

"_For leaving," she said frostily. "Without a proper goodbye. And for not writing often enough. And for leaving me all alone here."_

"_You aren't alone!" he exclaimed, holding his cheek. He scowled. "I think this is going to bruise."_

"_Oh you'll heal," she said, rolling her eyes. "Vampire, remember?"_

"_It still hurts," he grumbled. "If you cut me, do I not bleed?"_

"_Don't you sully Shakespeare with your... your... your..."_

"_My what?" he teased, stepping closer to her._

"_Don't give me that look, Tesla. You're in big trouble."_

_Nikola chuckled, closing in on her. He took her waist in his hands, tugging her forward until she fell against his chest. _

_Helen opened her mouth to protest once more but Nikola swallowed her words with a bruising kiss. _

_She was so surprised she forgot to fight him off, her body bending beneath his as she kissed him back. Nikola took full advantage, holding her tightly as his mouth moved hungrily against hers. He was getting greedier and greedier as the seconds passed and Helen let him. He tasted the same as always, his body felt the same as always and Helen remembered easily why she used to let him do this to her whenever he pleased. He was truly an exceptional kisser._

_It wasn't until she was pink cheeked from the lack of oxygen that Helen even thought to pull back. Not that she wanted to, it was Nikola who reminded her of the need to breathe, pulling back with a gasp. _

_Helen swayed in his arms, her vision blurring but Nikola held her steady. _

"_Oh, you missed me," he said smugly, squeezing her waist. "You so missed me."_

_Helen gasped down some air before she pushed away from him. _

"_I hate you," she breathed with a scowl, bringing her hand up and slapping his cheek again._

"_Stop hitting me!"_

* * *

"_If this is our graduation present, I think you can keep it," James said as he, John and Nigel strolled up to where Nikola and Helen were lounging on a picnic blanket, a basket filled with fresh pastries between them._

"_Tesla!" Nigel enthused, holding out his hand and pulling the other man to his feet. They embraced quickly before breaking apart with matching grins. "Good to see you, mate," Nigel continued. _

"_When did you get back?" John asked, eyes narrowing. _

"_Earlier this morning," Nikola replied breezily. "I stole Helen away from that droll old ceremony."_

"_Good to see you, Tesla," James drawled, narrowing his eyes._

"_Say it like you mean it, James," Helen teased. "Now come sit, all of you. I have your gifts right here."_

_The four men sank to the ground obligingly, arranging themselves around Helen. _

"_Queen Helena and her court," Nikola teased as he slipped in beside her, closer than strictly appropriate. _

"_Stop talking," Helen said tartly, shoving a pastry in his mouth. "You're much more pleasant when your mouth is occupied."_

_Nikola chuckled through the pastry, eyes sparkling at Helen in that mischievous way that meant she simply had to slap his chest. _

"_Don't be crude," she said sharply, hoping her cheeks didn't flush with colour._

"_Just like old times," James said, shaking his head in disapproval but the others laughed._

_And then Helen really did blush._


	19. Oh No

"Why am I unsurprised?" John growled, gritting his teeth in an attempt to stifle his urge to kill the blasted vampire.

"It's not my fault!" Nikola repeated emphatically. "I swear!"

"Just... just tell us what happened," William put in, massaging the bridge of his nose. John wanted nothing more than to throttle both men and it was only by the skin of his teeth that he refrained. Briefly, he was shocked that Rose had not stepped in to mediate but she was focused completely on Nikola instead, looking rather perplexed. Which unsettled John just enough for him to temporarily forget about his need to strangle the life from both the vampire and the overly devoted, yet just not quite with it protégé.

"She lost her shoes in Vienna," Nikola said, as if it was the only required answer.

John growled outright.

"Yeah, we're gonna need more mate," James' ex-protégé offered, just a touch too calm for John's liking.

"It was..." Nikola trailed off, looking to John bitterly. "It was just after you _left_. 1889. We were in Paris when James sent us a message about reports of abnormals rampaging through Vienna. Helen asked me to accompany her and... and we got into some trouble."

"What were you doing in Paris to begin with?" John snarled, leaning forward. The protectiveness he felt towards Helen and her person always flared up when the flirty Serb made trouble. It really wasn't his fault if he ended up having to kill the smirking man, was it?

"I invited her to see the Eiffel Tower being unveiled," Nikola snapped. "After the mess you had left it took nothing short of a miracle to get her out of the house, most days. Forgive me for trying to help her forget about the heartache you caused!"

John opened his mouth to continue, more than willing to show Nikola just why he was known as 'The Ripper' but the young HAP stepped forwards, putting himself between the two men in what John could only call a risky move.

But it worked, both men backed down slightly though John was sure he could still see the fury lurking in Nikola's eye.

"What kind of trouble?" Henry asked, bringing them all back to the real question at hand.

"We were being chased by an elemental, an electric one we believe. Something akin to Johnny's house guest, I suppose, only it never managed to take a host. We sort of... Well we sort of jumped into the Wein."

Silence fell as eye brows shot up.

"Accidentally!" he cried again, holding his hands up in defence.

No one bought it and so he continued with a sigh.

"We managed to get out of the water before the elemental realised it could fry us alive but Helen lost her shoes in the process. I had to carry her home. We always suspected that there had been some kind of... organisation behind it all but we couldn't prove it. I'd bet good money, this is them."

Again, no one spoke.

"They were blue satin. The shoes I mean," he added softly, looking past everyone to the discarded pumps. His entire demeanour changed in a second, shoulder softening and he shoved his hands into his pockets. A new found silence fell, this time it was of contemplation rather than shock. No one was making eye contact, instead focused solely on the shoes.

It really was a magnificent colour, John decided. And one that would have suited Helen perfectly. For so long she'd dressed in provocative reds and lush purples, interspersed with the practical and dower colours of her working wardrobe but blue, the rich, royal blue before them, was not a colour he'd seen her in often despite how it set off her complexion

He could picture the colour next to her skin, the satin opulent enough for her tastes while still demure. The colour would bring out the deeper shades of her eyes and with the dark curls, she'd look absolutely exquisite.

_Only she's dead John. Focus._

The order was short, sharp and direct, tinged with only the faintest trace of sadness. It was delivered by a woman who was here to do a job and more than prepared to kill whomever it took to complete it. The only emotion she was feeling was anger, white hot and scalding. It was something John understood.

He turned, giving her a sadistic grin but she only glared back. Even in the face of a mutual enemy they were to be enemies themselves, he supposed. Some things truly never changed.

"We need to find out how she disappeared," Rose ground out, spinning to once again face the table of Heads. 10 sets of guarded eyes met her, glancing between her stormy expression and those flanking her. Declan stood to her left, eyes fixed on her face with concern in his gaze. Next to him was Nikola who had yet to take his eyes from the shoes. Henry, Kate and William stood just behind her, leaving John alone on her right.

Then he remembered the protégé's young blonde friend and turned, scanning until he found her scowling at the group from one corner. There was such animosity in her gaze that John was taken aback. Her arms were crossed tight under her ample bosom as if trying to highlight the feature and her dark brows were pulled so close that he could have thought them joined. The pink, full lips that had smiled sweetly at him earlier were now drawn into a sweet little pout that reminded John of Helen after being told she couldn't have her way. Though he knew this young woman could not hold a torch to Helen in any respect, there was something about her that John was finding more and more intriguing.

Suddenly she caught his gaze and looked straight at him, eye brows shooting up as the pout relaxed slightly. John inclined his head ever so slightly and let one corner of his lips quirk. It would have been enough back in Victorian England to signal to the woman that he had his eye on her but this blonde simply blinked at him in surprise.

Smirking, he turned away from her only to be met by Rose's icy glare.

_Don't go there John. It will not end well for you or her._

Rolling his eyes, he ignored her and turned his attention back to the now bickering heads. One of them, he couldn't remember the man's name was arguing vehemently with another about... well, John didn't speak Afrikaans but he recognised it much as he did the German response. That one he could make out but it was spoken with such speed and ferocity the he only managed to comprehend every second word.

"Enough!" Declan bellowed, bring the two furious heads to silence. Both sank back down into the chairs with little more than a vitriolic look at one another. "I haven't the foggiest what that was about but just can it boys, we have bigger fish to fry."

"Declan is right," Rosie threw out. "Right now fighting about who should have known about whatever it was happened back in Vienna is pointless. What we need to do know is figure out how the hell she disappeared and died without a single one of you realising what had happened."

"Now that's not fair," a young woman put in, her gills flaring in anger. Rose merely rolled her eyes, brushing her off.

"Something has gone wrong here. This shouldn't have been able occur and I want answers."

Several muttered grumbles echoed around the room but before anyone could speak up properly a terrifying growl seemed to shake the air before a clawed hand came down into the table, nails gouging out chunks until a handful of the polish surface came away with the hand.

John turned just in time to watch a fully vamped out Nikola bring his hand down into the table once more, this time his fist chipping away at the table. Frightened heads scrambled backwards, grabbing files and coffee mugs as they went and Nikola continued venting his anger on the furniture, menacing snarls slipping through his lips as he tore at the table. The protégé stepped back, pulling Henry and Kate with him and John moved away on instinct to watch the man continue to tear apart the hardwood table.

Typically, John thought, Rose stayed by the vampire's side, allowing him a few moments on unrelenting rage before she stepped closer, sliding an arm around his midsection and guiding him back a few steps. Nikola continued to snarl and hiss as she held him, eyes rooted to the blue heels still sitting calmly on the table.

"It's my fault!" the vampire roared, breaking free of Rose's grip and slashing at Helen's leather chair at the head of the table. His talons tore through the stiff leather as if it were no more sturdy than tissue paper before he imbedded one set of claws in what was left with the head rest. He curled his fingers, holding to the head rest as he kicked out with one leg, sending the rest of the chair skittering across the ground only to bump and skid into the large window that made up one of the walls, sun streaming through and highlighting the red undertones of the rich leather.

The artificial sun was too cheery to suit this particular meeting John decided. Too peppy and hopeful when reality was stark and bleak.

With a vampiric grunt, Nikola tossed the head rest still gripped tightly in his claws down the table, narrowly missing the poor woman sitting at the very end. She shoved herself to the side just in time to avoid being hit, her yelp as she flew into another Head's arms unmistakable.

Nikola raised his hands once again, clearly intent on returning his aggression to the table but again Rose darted forwards, wrapping herself around his middle as she tried to force him back. John briefly heard her whisper something into Nikola's chest and while he couldn't make out the words, the effect was almost instantaneous.

Panting heavily, Nikola dropped his arms suddenly, wrapping them around Rose. He morphed back into his human visage slowly as she continued shuffling him backwards. The claws upon her back slowly disappeared but it was the eyes that were the last to go, black swirling back into blue as he blinked.

His grip on Rose never faltered, nor hers on him, and John watched as a multitude of emotions rushed over the other man's face. Most prominent was the fear in his eyes that John knew, under any other circumstance, would never be displayed so openly.

Declan watched them for a second before snapping back around to face the now slightly scattered and very surprised Heads.

"You heard her," he barked. "Use whatever you've got and find out how the hell they managed to get in and out and nab Magnus without any of our security protocols going off."

"Technically ve do not have to follow your orderz Declan," Anya drawled, pushing herself up from her chair and running a hand over her hair. "Zat one is in charge wizout Magnus around."

She pointed one long, manicured finger and everyone followed the line.

William's eyes bulged and he nodded, accepting the position of responsibility with far too much ease for John's liking.

"What Declan said," he said, voice wavering a little. He swallowed heavily and stepped forwards. "We have to find out who is behind this and how they did it. It has something to do with the power problems we're having. Start there and see where it takes you. Report back the second you think you have something of use."

There was a beat before they all began to rise, gathering their belongings in silence.

And then the lights flickered.

Everyone froze.

Just as they all let out a collective sigh of relief, they went again, this time for a fraction longer.

But it wasn't long enough nor was it dark enough to truly hide what had occurred.

In the middle of the conference table now sat a single envelope, resting atop a small metal cylinder.

And it arrived in a very familiar puff of red smoke.

John swallowed.


	20. Broken Dreams

**I feel I should point out that I actually did google and put everything into a timeline to the point where I know that the 25****th**** of November, 1888 was in fact a Sunday. Yes, I'm a little obsessive. Yes I am proud of my googling :P**

**And yes, this does come from a previous story, just in case it seemed familiar :)**

* * *

_**Sunday, 25**__**th**__** November, 1888: **_

_The wind was cold through her skirts, plastering them to her shaking frame as she made her way through the rain soaked streets of London. She was terrified, completely lost and scared for her life. A new sensation, granted but certainly not an unfounded one considering why she was out in the middle of a storm late at night in one of the less pleasant parts of the city she called home. _

_All she had to do was get back to the house, get away from him and it would all be fine._

_Of course the rain had only started after she'd confronted him, even the elements seemed to be conspiring against her tonight. She was walking as fast as she could and even still, she knew it wouldn't be enough. He was going to be mad. More than mad, he'd be… she searched for the right word… murderous… she almost chuckled at her own twisted joke. Almost because he really was murderous. She'd shot him and that wasn't something to be taken lightly, regardless of whether or not she was his ex-fiancé. _

_She was only a few streets away now and the rain was starting to pick up. It was at this point that she started to regret wearing her overly elaborate outfit. Not that anything she owned was terribly simple but her reasons in choosing this particular ensemble now seemed ridiculous considering she was traipsing through the cold streets of London in it. Who cared if it was his favourite? It hadn't made any difference._

_Bingo! She could see her town house and picked up the pace. By the time she managed to get the heavy front door open, the shock of it all set in and her body started to feel heavy. Her hands were shaking as she stood in the warm foyer. _

"_Helen!" James almost yelled from the top of the stairs. She looked up at him with dead eyes. He sprinted down the stairs, coming to a stop only when he could crush her into a hug. _

"_I tried," she whispered against his jacket. He shushed her before peeling off her drenched hat and coat, tossing them on a chair. Her heart felt like lead. She couldn't even feel the cold._

"_Helen," another voice said. Nikola came dashing to her side, his hand pushing her hair from her face. She was still trembling as the two men helped her over to the sofa. She couldn't focus on any of them, her eyes unable to take in anything accept the memory of that girls blood pulsing from her neck._

"_Nigel, get us some whiskey!" James yelled over his shoulder. Nikola sank down on his knees in front of her, one hand cupping her face tenderly. James threw several blankets around her, tucking her up as tightly as possible before sinking down next to her. Her mouth hung open as she tried to breath, her painfully tight dress limiting her ability to do so._

_Nigel arrived promptly, four glasses in hand. He took one look at the group huddled by the couch and Helen's shivering features and poured her a generous serve. Suddenly her eyes found Nikola and she clung on to the one piece of reality she was sure of._

"_What happened?" James asked but got no reply. Helen's eyes were fixed on Nikola's. His face carried a kind of tortured apology as he held her gaze, trying desperately to reassure her. _

"_Helen," James called again, this time a little louder as he wound an arm around her shoulders._

"_It's alright," Nikola said soothingly and there was a flicker of a smile on Helen's face. _

"_No it's not," she answered. "You were right."_

"_I'm sorry."_

_They all sat in silence for a moment. _

"_We need to get her changed," Nigel said after a moment. James looked up at him, startled by the sudden words but he nodded in assent. "I'll go get her maid," James said, trying to stand up._

"_No," Helen whispered. "No one can…" she trailed off brokenly, a soft sob erupting from her throat. _

"_You need to get out of these wet clothes," James coaxed. _

"_In a minute."_

_They sat silently again before Helen let out an almighty sigh._

_Wordlessly, Nikola stood up. Helen's eyes followed him before she too struggled to stand up, discarding the wet blankets as she went. The four of them slowly made their way upstairs, James and Nigel had their arms around her while Nikola held her hand. Thankfully the fire in her room was roaring. Slowly, they lowered her to the bed and stood back, uncertain as to how they should proceed. _

"_I can manage," Helen said in a small voice, waving her hand dismissively as she tried to smile at them. Somehow that cold detachment she'd perfected for their confrontation had abandoned her when she needed it most. She knew that she didn't need to be strong in front of these men but after all this time, it was her default setting. Letting them see her this broken was not an option. The tears were threatening to overflow as she looked up into the concerned faces before her._

_With a lot of effort, Helen pushed herself off the bed to stand in front of them. Silently, she praised her self control for keeping her knees steady. _

"_We'll be back in the morning," James said with a kiss to her forehead. They all turned to leave, Nikola being the last. Once she was certain that the other two were out of the room, she reached out to Nikola, her knees finally giving out as she collapsed on the floor. He turned from his position in the doorway, startled to see her crumpled on the floor. He dashed back to her side and she looked up at with stricken eyes._

"_Stay," she whispered, clutching his jacket to keep him close. Using all his strength, he cradled her against his body before lifting her up. As they sank onto the bed, she let out a little sigh. _

"_You have to change," he whispered into her hair before rolling away from her. She whimpered at the loss of contact. "I'm not leaving," he soothed._

_Quickly he set about gathering up her clothes. In a matter of minutes he was back on the bed, helping her to kneel in front of him. After a few more minutes of awkwardly pulling and pushing at her wet dress, they managed to get her into a cotton nightgown. Her hair was still wet so Nikola grabbed a towel and started to massage her head. Her eyes slid shut and Nikola took in her exhausted appearance. As much as she hated the fact, she still needed far more sleep than either he or James. _

_Releasing her head, Nikola slid off the bed. Her eyes popped open at his departure and she opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand._

_Quickly he kicked off his shoes, following with his coat and waistcoat. He loosened his cravat before reaching over and pulling back the covers. She slid under the covers and he followed her. They both knew it was ridiculously improper but neither cared. They'd slept like this before though not for a very long time. _

"_I didn't want to be right," he whispered as he curled up closer to her._

"_I didn't want you to be right," she replied quietly._

"_You shouldn't have to hurt like this," he said, his voice breaking. She said nothing, simply moving deeper into his embrace._

_After a few minutes, her shoulders started to shake and he pulled her tighter. "You're safe," he whispered urgently. "Nothing bad will happen now, we're all safe."_

"_If only," she replied with a sigh. It was only a matter of minutes before she fell asleep in his arms. _


	21. Idiocy

**June, 1912:**

"_What the hell did you think you were doing?" Rose half screamed in Helen's ear. _

"_I didn't mean to get caught!" Helen yelled back, clinging to both Rose and the tree they were perched in. She was shivering, the rain and wind half freezing her fingertips off and the heat of Rose's body pressed against her side did little to help._

"_I don't think you understand how hard it is to keep one of you from harm, let alone two!" Rose yelled, her voice barely audible above the wind. Although they could have always resorted to mental communication, Rose was very, very angry and seemed much happier using her lungs to berate Helen. _

If I get pneumonia and die, I blame you.

_Helen scoffed and shook her head. _

"_If pneumonia is what kills you, I'll eat my hat!" Helen called back. Rose muttered something but her words were swallowed up by the storm. In all honesty, Helen was actually overjoyed that Rose was here. If she hadn't simply appeared as she had, Helen knew for sure that she'd have died in minutes. The mudslide that had torn through the village had buried everything in its path. Together they had managed to save all the other residents but Helen, much to Rose's frustration, had run back to try and grab the last of her medical supplies. Which, of course, led to them being stuck in a tree that seemed to be giving way. _

"_I'll kill you for this," Rose swore darkly, lips almost flush against Helen's ear._

"_I said I was sorry, didn't I?" she replied, turning to frown at her friend. "Honestly Rose, I was just trying to help. The village has been wiped out, we'll need medical supplies to rebuild."_

"_But they'll also need you!"_

_Helen shook her head once more but didn't reply. The frustrating thing about Rose was that she usually had a point._

Any idea how to get down from here?

_Helen quickly surveyed the base of their tree and the surrounding area that had, at one point, been her tiny home, complete with backyard and clothesline. It was one of the few big trees in the village, most of the others were barely peeking above the thick layer of mud. _

"_Wait it out?" Helen offered. Rose shook her head. Carefully she let go of Helen, pushing herself up to be standing on the branch, one hand loosely wrapped around another much smaller branch. She shot Helen a dirty look before, with her free hand, unbuttoning her now sodden white blouse._

"_Turn away," she yelled. "I'm not going to ruin a perfectly good top."_

_Laughing Helen replied, "Oh Rose, no need to be so modest. It's not as if we've never seen each other naked."_

_Rose froze and blinked at Helen._

"_Really?" she asked, genuinely shocked. "When does that happen?"_

_Helen bit her lip and cursed herself. These damn timelines were getting harder and harder to keep track of. _

"_Don't worry," Rose called back. "You don't have to answer that. I'll enjoy finding out the hard way."_

_With a smirk plastered across her face, Rose quickly stripped off her shirt. She shifted down to sit beside Helen again and grabbed Helen's leg. In a matter of seconds she bandaged the gash Helen hadn't even noticed. The blood seeped through the makeshift bandage surprisingly quickly but Helen ignored it for the meantime, instead returning her attention to the woman who sat half naked beside her. _

"_You're going to have to hold on tight," Rose shouted above the wind. "I've never tried anything like this before so I don't know how well it will work but I can't think of another way to get us out of here."_

_She closed her eyes briefly before bitting her bottom lip and, even over the sound of the wind, Helen could hear the telltale rip of flesh as Rose released her wings. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes again, reaching for Helen and, with surprising strength, hauling Helen into her arms. _

_Helen let loose a little gasp at the action, wrapping her arms firmly around her friend's waist merely moments before they were launched into the air. _

_It was a rather turbulent flight and several times Helen almost lost her grip on Rose's rain-soaked back but, soon enough they were safe on one of the ridges surrounding the site of the village. Before Helen could blink, Rose was snatching Helen's light jacket with a blush as she fastened it. Helen smirked slightly but kept any comments to herself._

"_Let's find shelter," she offered instead, pleased to note that the wind was finally dying down. The rain showed no inclination of stopping but at least it was pleasantly warm again her skin without the wind chilling her to the bone. _

_Rosie rolled her eyes before lurching forward and punching Helen's shoulder._

"_Don't try and get yourself killed by a mudslide again," she half growled. Rubbing her shoulder, Helen sent her friend a dark look. If she had to put up with another stream of complaints about her behaviour..._

"_I owe you one," Helen finally snapped. "Can we just leave it at that?"_

_Rose snorted, clapping Helen on the shoulder._

"_You should know me better than that," she said, shaking her head as they began to trudge through the sodden ground in the direction of the evacuees. "No Helen, I don't think I'll ever let you forget this one."_

_Helen sighed but acknowledged the humour in Rosie's tone. One day she'd get her own back, that was for sure._


	22. Glitch

**Today's chapter is for Hannah who reviewed just as I was going to post this! Here's hoping you all enjoy this more plot-y chapter :P**

**xx**

* * *

"There better be a damn good explanation for this," Tesla hissed as Rose stepped away and Henry was surprised to see the vamp not lunge for Druitt's jugular.

"Much like you, I have none," the murderer growled, leaning forwards.

"How the hell did that get in here?" Will breathed, looking to Henry in askance. He simply shrugged, not entirely sure how to avoid getting caught in the carnage that would no doubt occur.

"More importantly, what is it?" Declan put in, moving forward.

"AH!" Henry cried, jumping forward to grab the other man's arm.

Declan looked at him, eyebrows rising.

"Are you sure we should just... you know... touch it?"

"As opposed to?"

"Scanning it? Checking it? Figuring out what the hell it is before weee-ahh…. Rose!" Henry whined as the woman plucked the envelope from the table, leaving the small metal tube it had arrived atop of.

Henry sighed, shaking his head. Didn't she understand how dangerous stunts like that were? What if it had been an electrical booby trap?

_It wasn't Henry, calm down for heaven's sake!_

He yelped, causing most of the room to look at him as he glared at Rose who merely shrugged.

_Bigger fish to fry, Henry._

It seemed like the whole room was holding their breath, watching as Rose studied the paper.

"It's the same grade as the note," she mumbled, not looking up.

Her finger traced across the front.

"Same ink too. And I think the same hand."

She looked up, face carefully blank.

"And it says?" Anya drawled but Henry could sense the fear lacing her condescending tone.

"To the householder..." Rose read, lips quirking.

She quickly flipped the letter over, cracking the wax seal. From within the envelop she drew out a single piece of paper, its edges gilded. Henry could only just make out the floaty cursive across the paper before Rose's hand started shaking, her face turning an alarming shade of red.

A long line of expletives flew from her lips in a mixture of languages before the paper was tossed carelessly towards the middle of the table. It slid across the polished surface easily, coming to a stop right before Henry.

With Rose still spouting off abuse to the heavens, he reached forward and gingerly picked up the paper, still half afraid that it was going to give off some kind of toxic radiation that would have them all morphing into swamp creatures.

_You are cordially invited to attend the Old City Ball. _

His jaw dropped and he looked to Rose, her fury still boiling freely.

_This year the ball shall dedicated to the memory of our patron, Dr. Helen Magnus. Her tireless work for our city stretches beyond rhyme or reason so we ask each attendee this year to consider bringing with them a donation to aid in the rebuilding of her home which is to be reopened as a the new Old City 'Helen Magnus' Hospital. _

"What the hell..." he breathed.

"Look at the bottom of the invite," Rose spat, arms crossed as she all but trembled.

Vibrant red ink was tracked across the bottom, elegant scrawl not resembling the calligraphy that graced the rest of the page.

_Dress up, children. It'll be a very grand affair and if you're good, this will be the only drop of her blood that is spilled._

Henry wretched, tossing the paper back to the middle of the table as he stumbled for a moment.

"That's... that's..."

"It defies description," Rose agreed with a snarl.

"But... How? Why?"

"Lying scum," Rose muttered, turning away just as Druitt let out a guttural snarl, releasing the invite he'd quickly grabbed.

"So she's alive then?" he growled, looking between Henry and Rose.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Rose screamed back. "They're... they're playing with us is all. Or they don't know about me. But she's gone, John, she's bloody well gone! I know it. I can _feel_ it!"

Her eyes were watering with bloodied tears again, hands balled.

"They're playing us. They're... They're..."

And finally she broke down into the sobs Henry had expected to see a long time ago.

"She's gone..." she sobbed, hiccupping as she turned away from the group and Henry started, watching as Will wrapped his arms around the young woman.

His gaze flicked to where Abby was nervously hovering, thankful that her attention was on the note now making its way around the table.

"Henry, how the hell did it get in here?" Will almost barked over the top of Rose's head but he was barely heard, Henry's attention captivated by the way Tesla was staring at the note now in his hand with abject horror, nostrils flared. Abby was peering over his shoulder too, her face slowly draining of colour as a hand flew up to cover her mouth.

"Henry!"

"Ah-oh-I, uh, I don't know," he stuttered blindly.

There was a pause and about four people at the same time mutter the same phrase.

"The power."

"The EM shield!" Henry cried. "It's one of the biggest drains on power and with the fluctuations..."

He trailed off, dashing to the computer set up in the corner, mind whizzing with possibilities. He barely heard the others trying to piece it together until Tesla's growl pierced the haze that had settled over his mind.

"It still makes no sense," the Vamp snarled. "How did it get here? Even with the fluctuations in the EM shields power, there is no reason that they'd be able to... to _teleport _anything to our location."

"Or out," Rose breathed, eyes widening.

"Out? What do you mean out?" Henry asked, pausing to regard her curiously.

"They took her. They took Helen. They _took_ her."

The room fell silent, everyone making an attempt at processing what she was saying but to Henry is just... didn't work. How could she have been taken? How could they teleport? More importantly, why?

"John?" Rose asked, her tone icy.

"My understanding of this situation comes from what you've shared with me," he snarled in response.

"You can't know nothing," Tesla threw out, stepping closer to the other man with a glare that made Henry wilt from his spot in the corner.

"And what exactly do you expect me to know?" Druitt snapped. "You're assuming that the display we just saw bears resemblance to my ability based solely on the conclusions reached after no more than three seconds consideration."

"And what other conclusion would you have us draw, John?" Tesla snapped, taking another step closer so that their bodies were almost touching. "Your life has hardly been filled with good deeds, who knows who has managed to harness your gift?"

"Stop it!" Abby cried, showing more guts than Henry had ever given her credit for. "Just stop it. This isn't helping."

Tesla snarled in the direction of the young woman, nothing but disdain rolling from his slightly vampiric visage while Druitt... Well, Druitt was looking at her with something that made Henry's stomach roll. It couldn't what he thought it was, could it?

He pushed the disturbing image of those two away, instead focusing on the confused looks surrounding the table. Most of the heads seemed terrified and a little perplexed, their eyes darting between the immortals barely containing themselves. The tension in the air was thick and it had Henry on edge. Between the fear that Rose's declaration had aroused and what now looked like a fight that could turn into WWIII he didn't blame anyone in the room for slowly inching backwards.

Only Declan seemed to be keeping it together, but, then again, Henry had never seen the man actually lose it in the truest sense of the word. He was just as calm and put together as Magnus normally was. It must be the British thing.

"Abby's right," the Brit drawled. "We need to figure out what the hell is going on before we start tossing around accusations."

"If you weren't so liberal with your wine, I'd be inclined to decapitate you for that comment," Tesla muttered, stalking towards Henry.

"First things first, I want you all to go back to your sectors and chat to all your most secure contacts to see if there is anything new we should know about," Declan said, ignoring the vampire as he addressed the Heads still around the table. "Be careful though, most people still think she's gone even if the Sanctuary still exists. There's no need to get SCIU back on our tails."

"They couldn't be even if they wanted to be," Tesla through over his shoulder, shoving Henry aside as he began frantically typing. "I gave them a nasty little Praxian bug just the other day. At this point they'll be lucky if they can turn on a computer, let alone trace any movement surrounding you lot."

"Regardless, I want you all to be careful. We don't know what we're dealing with and there's no point in inviting more trouble."

With that, the Heads slowly stood, shuffling out of the room in near silence. A few sceptical looks were shared but, aside from a polite farewell, no one spoke.

When the door finally swung shut behind Mandy as she trudged away, Declan let out a heavy breath.

"You lot need to get it together," he groused with a glare. "These people are gonna depend on you just as much as they would Magnus. The last thing I need is to have you rip each other limb from limb."

"As was pointed out," Druitt drawled, "you aren't in charge Mr. Macrae. Young William is so I hardly think you are in a posi-."

"Can it, Druitt," Will almost spat. "He's right. We need to stick together on this one."

Silence fell once again and Henry found himself waiting for his friend's imminent death. When it became apparent that Will was in fact not about to be ripped apart by their resident serial killer, Henry allowed himself to breathe. It seemed Tesla had reached a similar conclusion because, while his hands hadn't stopped their furious tapping, there had been a distinct slowing in pace.

"We need to figure out what the hell is going on with the power," Rose said softly. "Because there is no way that this system should be able to... to... I mean, the damn shield is meant to be infallible!"

She bit her lip and turned from the group.

"Maybe there's a bug?" Abby suggested softly.

"No," Henry said, just a fraction slower than Tesla.

"I mean, between the two of us we'd have picked up a bug," he offered, gesturing between himself and Henry who merely gaped. "What? I can be nice..."

"They're right," Kate put in. "This has to be something bigger than a glitch in the system."

And then it was like a light came on in Henry's mind.

"Glitch," he murmured, looking to Tesla.

"Glitch. Glitch... Glitch?"

"Glitch!" they cried in unison.

"I'm going to my lab!" Henry cried, gathering up the file before him. "I'll run some tests and be back soon."

And with that he launched himself out the door, ignoring the calls from behind him to slow down and explain. Tesla could lay it out for them in layman's terms, he decided. He had to get to work. Now.

He whizzed around the corner and nearly ran into the approaching figure. The very pregnant approaching figure.

"Henry!"

"Erika!" he exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek. "Come with me."

He grabbed her hand and tugged her down the corridor as quickly as he could without having her fall on her face.

"Henry! What's going on? I just saw everyone leaving the conference room, is there a problem?"

"Yes!" he replied, realising after that he sounded just a tad too excited. "I mean, yes but I think I know what happened!"

And with that he picked up the pace again, dragging her towards the lab they shared.

"Henry!" she cried again, this time half laughing at his enthusiasm.

When they stepped through the doorway to the lab, he finally slowed, taking a deep breath.

"MagnusismissignandRosethinkg sshesdeadandwethinkthattheyt ookherandithassomethingtodow iththepowerfluctuations."

"What?"

"Magnus is missi-."

"No, I got that," Erika said, cutting him off. "I meant what are we doing talking. How can I help?"

Henry smiled. God he loved this woman.


	23. Captive IV

**Ack. I'm lazy. And too busy to properly call this week a 'holiday' as all my lecturers would have us believe it is... Anyway, here is more confusion for y'all. **

**xx**

* * *

"Any effect?"

"I-hu-oh," Carla cleared her throat. "Not yet."

"Are you all right?"

"You startled me."

"Why isn't she awake yet?"

"She reacted badly to the change in sedatives, I had to amp it back up for a moment."

"You what?"

"She was about to slip into a coma, what else did you want me to do?"

"We need her awake."

"I know but if she falls into a coma then you won't be able to direct the implant, Dr. Martin."

Carla watched warily as Imogene bristled. She knew she was right and there was nothing the good (or not so good) Doctor could do about that. Medicine was not the blondes specialty, it's why Carla had been called in and while she had no qualms admitting she lacked true spine to stand up to the other, far more imposing woman, she was the one who knew what they were talking about here.

"How long?"

Carla started.

"Uh, another few hours and she should be conscious enough to respond to our prompts."

She stared straight at the woman strapped to the bed, listening as Dr. Martin's heels clipped across the floor to the bank of monitors.

"It's really rather impressive," she murmured.

Carla was game to speak.

Out of the corner of her eye she watched as the other woman cocked her head, puzzling over the stilted image.

"We've collected quite a breadth of data already from these images alone."

"Anything useful?"

"Uh, not strictly so, no."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we certainly understand more of her life now. For example, did you know she actually did spend some time on a mountain top in Nepal?"

"So she didn't mislead Zimmerman entirely then?"

"No, it would seem not. And of course, the second objective's presence in her life is becoming more and more understandable the further we progress with the retrieval."

"Have you found much on _her_?"

"Unfortunately not. She appears in the images from time to time but the connections between memories are more sentimental than anything that forms a logical pattern."

"So her mind is still working then. Excellent."

"Pardon?"

"If she's making emotional jumps rather than chronological it means the serum didn't damage her brain."

"I already told you, the scans indicated that that had not been the case."

"I was dubious."

"You doubt my work?"

"No, I doubt any of us are truly prepared for what we've just uncovered."


	24. One Beginning

**All right! This one is from a moment described all the way back in 'We'll Meet Again', if anyone can remember back that far, that is :P In some ways, it's been this pretty little moment sitting in the back of my head whenever I needed to remind myself of why I love Rose. Even when she wasn't called Rose :P**

**xx**

* * *

_Rolling over slowly, Helen stretched, arching her back before turning once more to snuggle into-_

_Into something that was too warm and too solid to be her pillows. She barely stifled a scream as she scrambled backwards, eyes wide as she took in the sleeping form in the bed beside her. Nikola bloody Tesla. Her mind reeled, trying to place her memories in the right order but she was struggling. It was too early and she'd gone to bed too late and despite her reduced need for sleep, she was not doing well. _

_Slowly she began to piece things together, the memory of a strange girl with a strange name trying to kill them, cups of sniffed at tea and then, when Helen had finally made it to bed, the newcomer's wide eyes peering up at her through the darkness as a confused and rumpled Nikola was pulled along behind her. Helen hadn't had it in her to fight last night when the girl had climbed into her bed, pulling Nikola with her. Her sleep addled mind had argued that it was fine. She'd shared a bed with Nikola once before and the girl was probably just scared. The idea that John, her fiancé, might disapprove of such an action never crossed her mind. _

_But now, as she took in Nikola's sleeping form, the thought most certainly did cross her mind. _

"_Nikola," she whispered, reaching out to prod his shoulder with a tentative hand. He snorted, brow creasing but slept on and she sighed, glancing around the room. The newcomer, Josephine, was nowhere to be seen._

"_Nikola," she tried again, shifting towards him as she prodded his arm. _

_This time he grumbled, batting her hand away. Frowning, Helen reached out to smack him again, only to have him capture her hand, pulling her swiftly down until he could wrap his arms around her and snuggle in close._

"_Nikola Tesla get off me this instant," she hissed, fighting his unnaturally strong arms. He mumbled something and tugged her closer. He buried his face in her neck, moustache tickling at her skin as he threw a leg over hers._

"_In a minute," he muttered sleepily._

"_If you do not release me this second I shall scream," she threatened, fighting his embrace._

"_Whatever you say, darling," he continued absently, a lazy kiss making its way to her neck. She froze at that and her lack of action seemed to wake him up. _

"_If-if you don't let me go, I'll call for John," she said shakily, blood pounding as he placed a few more purposeful and, she knew, awake kisses to her neck. "I don't think he shall take well to finding you wrapped around his fiancé."_

"_He-len," Nikola whined but thankfully his grip loosened. _

"_Thank you," she said breathlessly, trying to sound cross. She shuffled from his grasp but he tried to follow, his arms feebly attempting to keep her close._

"_Good morning to you too," he grumbled, cracking an eye as she frowned at him._

"_Where is she?" Helen asked, skipping over his blatant attempt to feel her up. _

"_Who?"_

"_Josephine?" _

"_Yes."_

"_How should I know?" Nikola asked, incredulous as he pushed himself up._

_Helen rolled her eyes before clambering from the bed, lunging for her robe before the sun could betray the thin nightgown she wore. Just as she wrapped it securely around herself, Helen caught a glimpse of something out in the yard. _

_A fresh layer of snow coated the rolling lawns and while it was beautiful, it was the brown dot that caught her eye. It took her a moment to place it as the back of a head but then something fluttered, moving against the snow. Narrowing her eyes and pushing the hair from her face, she stepped closer to the window, just barely discerning the difference of colours between whatever was moving and the snow._

"_Nikola," she hissed, not turning. "Come here. Quickly."_

_Nikola grumbled but after a moment he trudged to Helen's side, an arm snaking around her waist. Shooting him a dirty look, she pushed him away before motioning to the scene outside._

"_What is she doing?" Nikola breathed before she could speak, leaning forwards._

_And then it all came together for Helen. Wings. That was what was moving. Wings. Giant, feathered wings. It was the girl, dressed in the nightgown Helen had given her last night. _

"_She must be freezing," Nikola breathed and Helen glanced to see his brow furrow in obvious concern for the girl. It was a curious expression on his face but perhaps his time in Budapest had brought to him an ability to care more deeply than before. They hadn't been separated very long, business calling Nikola back for a short stay that had gradually grown longer. Not that Helen was complaining, he was still one of her closest friends and having him around again was like a breath of fresh air. _

"_You go make some tea and grab a blanket," Helen said, touching his arm. "I'll bring her in."_

_Nikola nodded, concern still creasing his face as they both hurried from the room and down stairs._

* * *

_The air was freezing against Helen's skin as she stepped outside and she pulled the robe tighter. She could see the young woman standing in the middle of the yard still, arms thrown wide as her wings twitched gently. For a moment she just watched her, marvelling at how peaceful she seemed._

"_Aren't you cold?" Helen called, debating whether or not she'd need to step off the small, covered patio she was safely ensconded on and ruin her shoes. _

"_Are you?" the woman asked softly in response, barely turning as a small smile curled her lips._

"_Of course."_

_The woman laughed softly but lowered her arms as she retracted the great wings. Helen watched in awe as the masses receded into her back. It was a far more fascinating process when her life hadn't just been threatened. _

_Her nightgown was pushed right back on her shoulders, dipping down to expose the skin almost as pale as the snow with large angry scars down her back. No blood seemed to be coming from the scars but to Helen's eyes they were inflamed. If she hadn't just seen precisely why, she'd have insisted on treating the wounds. _

_Slowly the woman readjusted the nightgown so it sat properly before turning to Helen, a sweet smile on her face._

"_Why must I come inside?" she asked, head tilted slight as her brow furrowed slightly in confusion. _

"_Because it's too cold out here," Helen replied quickly, holding out a hand._

"_But I don't feel cold."_

"_Are you even wearing shoes?" Helen asked, unable to keep the note of incredulity from her voice. _

"_No."_

"_Oh heaven's, come here before you freeze and catch your death!"_

_The stranger seemed to find something amusing about the remark, giggling softly as her eyes danced. _

"_Why are you so worried?" she said, her voice carrying as she took a single step back towards where Helen was starting to shiver._

"_Because I refuse to let you come to harm," Helen replied, stepping up to the very edge of the snow free pavers. "Now come. Please."_

"_Did I frighten you?" she asked quietly, cocking her head to the side. She was slowly picking her way through the thick snow, the sodden hem of her nightgown dragging._

"_We didn't know where you were," Nikola said from behind Helen, walking past her to hold out a blanket. _

_The young woman accepted it but simply draped it over her arm. She smiled again and reached out to cup Helen's cheek._

"_Thank you," she said sincerely, eyes twinkling. "For your hospitality and concern. Although both are unnecessary considering my treatment of you last night."_

"_Oh don't be silly," Helen said, waving a hand dismissively, smiling as her guest chuckled._

"_I'm not," she replied with a kind smile. "But I shall not forget this Helen, not ever."_


	25. Captive V

**I figure I shouldn't keep people hanging when this is the extent of the chapter...**

* * *

"Dr. Martin! Come quick! She's waking!"

Imogene smiled and hung up the phone.

Finally.


	26. Fear is a powerful thing

**Hey look! Plot!**

* * *

"Henry, report," Rose barked, storming into the room and Nikola was pleased to note that the young HAP jumped at her tone. The wolfgirl, however, remained calm, turning with a steely look for the intruder.

"Uh-uh, we, ah," he spluttered, not quite catching up.

"We've managed to figure out what the issue is," Erika cut in smoothly. "When the system was being designed, an external control point was established so that security could be monitored and, if necessary altered and updated. During one of the adaptations-."

"Magnus did it," Henry blurted out.

"Pardon?"

"When we were transferring our data across, like with what happened back on the surface, there was a nano second where our defences were down-."

"So when Helen was setting up the protocols surrounding the safety of the data, a glitch formed in the security measures?" Nikola asked. "That sounds pretty far fetched."

"No because the glitch was actually built in," Henry continued. "Buried in all the data that we transferred was a copy of all our old security protocols and, within that was a command. It's why the power problems have been plaguing us ever since we got here. The power fluctuations are actually set to an exact timeline. It stretches over a period of eleven days which is why I didn't see it."

"So the pattern repeats every eleven days which means-."

"Which means if someone knew when the pattern, they knew when to take her," Rose finished bitterly.

"But that still doesn't explain why Helen would have an old security protocol that placed the Sanctuary at risk," Nikola continued. It didn't sound like Helen to be so cavalier about something as important as the EM shield. He'd built it for her years ago and, in all that time he'd never known her to take chances with it.

"It wasn't Dr. Magnus," Erika supplied. "It's a very good cover up job but you can clearly see that it was inserted after the original coding was written. It was added a few months before everything was relocated."

"When? I want an exact date," Rose growled, showing no restraint towards the young woman she'd only just met. He could almost understand it, tensions running high and all but this was uncalled for, even for her.

He took her hand, squeezing harshly in silent warning. She glared at him from the corner of her eye but didn't relinquish the contact.

"October 21st, 2011," Erika supplied, her tone nothing less than frosty.

"Does that mean anything to you?" Rose asked, finally softening a little as she cocked her head.

Henry and Erika shared a look.

"That was the day I told Henry I was pregnant," she said softly, a wistful smile on her lips as she placed a hand on her growing belly.

"Which means it was the day SCIU first came to visit," Henry added softly, eyes growing wary as he looked to Nikola.

"When they were 'checking' the systems..." Nikola breathed, anger growing. It was one thing to be overtly dirty and dangerous, it was another to secretly screw with data that would affect the entire network. Though, admittedly, he'd kinda done the same thing.

"But that means they knew," Henry cried. "They knew about all this, the underground network and everything! Why else would they implant this kind of stuff?"

"I don't think it was them," Rose said slowly, eyes glazed.

"They're too dumb for something this clever," Nikola put in darkly.

"I think it was an accident on their part, they were just the... just the courier. Or, at least, it wasn't a sanctioned SCIU activity."

"So there's someone out there bigger and badder than SCIU with the ability to use the government agency as a meagre courier?" Henry asked, disbelief clear in his voice.

"We have to inform Will and Declan," Rose said, turning to Nikola. They'd left the two young men co-ordinating the various teams out sweeping the Sanctuary for any clues, as futile as such an effort might be.

"How long will it take you to fix this?" Rose asked, turning to Henry. Nikola was fairly certain that it was only his tightening grip on her hand that kept her tone resembling anything close to civil.

"Uh... I don't know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, I'd have to switch everything off and essentially rewrite all the affected protocols..."

"Do it."

"But... but _everything_ is affected! I'd have to power down the entire network to do something like that. We'd lose the _air_ filters!"

"How long can we last without the air filters?" she asked reasonably.

"A day, maybe two if we confine everyone to quarters. If the primary systems fail, the secondary ones are programmed to jump in within an hour though, I'd have to disable everything which could compromise, like, everything and then there's the issue of getting it all back online afterwards AND the even bigger problem will be the heating. We're miles and miles underground, the cold would kill us in a day easy."

"Then work quickly. You need to power everything down and I mean everything, strip out whatever this... this _glitch_ is and then piece it all back together before we all die of frostbite, understand?"

"But-."

"And if it looks at any stage like you will not be able to complete the task in that time, you will enact a network wide evacuation."

"But that's-."

"Yes, a lot of people, I know. We have no choice, Henry."

"But-."

"What would you have us do instead?" Rose asked softly, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. Erika stiffened slightly by his side and Rose slowly withdrew her hand, stepping back ever so slightly.

Henry pulled a face and shoved his hands into his pockets, causing Nikola to fight the urge to slap the man. He didn't seem to be grasping the concept of 'immediate action'.

Rose waited for a long moment, the silence growing thick with words better left unspoken before her face darkened.

"What Henry? What is it? What do you think would work so much better than _this_? Because if you have a plan, I'd sure as hell love to hear it."

"I didn't mea-."

"Didn't mean what, Henry?" she spat scornfully.

"Henry," Nikola cut in, grabbing Rose by the arm. "You'll manage, I promise. Get Erika to help you. Just make sure you let us know when you shut the power off."

And with that he turned, dragging Rose bodily from the room. Only when they were several corridors away from the HAP's and their oversensitive hearing did Nikola stop and release his spitting and hissing 'hostage'.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" he asked, curiosity tinging his anger. "He's afraid, we're all afraid and you waltzing around like that isn't helping the matter!"

"And what right do you have to tell me how to behave?" she snarled back, hands curling into fists he knew wouldn't quite break his cheek bone but would give him a nice little shiner for a few hours. So long as she held back, that was.

"Rose, it's me," he tried, not sure where the sentence was going.

"Which is my point exactly! You walk around, crying bloody murder half the time and blaming every single one of your failings on other people. Who are _you_ to lecture _me_ on being polite?"

"I'm the one person in this place who knows you, Rose. Who actually knows you and, without Helen, the obligation falls to me to pull you back into line."

"Since when?" she yelled.

"Since you started acting like a crazy, spoilt brat!"

For a moment they remained absolutely still, air fizzling around them as blue eyes met brown.

"You're an absolute bastard, you know that right?"

He grinned.

"You're insane, you know that right?" he parroted back.

Her lips quirked into a quick smile before she relaxed, shoulders sagging as she shook her head. Tentatively, Nikola stepped towards her, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Try not to antagonise the pregnant HAP, all right?"

Rose chuckled softly, stepping closer and winding her arms around his waist, head coming to rest in the middle of his chest.

"Pull me outta there earlier next time, all right?"

Nikola rolled his eyes but let his arms fall around her, holding her close. They stayed that way for a moment before he heard what sounded suspiciously like a sob.

"We'll find her," he whispered softly, tightening his hold. "I promise we'll find her."

Rose let out a watery laugh but didn't pull away from him.

"You forget I can see inside your head, Nikki," she said, voice muffled. "You don't believe that any more than Declan did."

"But I said it aloud, surely that counts for something," he offered, pulling away to flash her another grin. She smirked back.

"It proves you love her."

Swallowing heavily, Nikola carefully released Rose, making certain to put that little bit of distance between them. She chuckled and shook her head, reaching out to cup his cheek.

"Don't shy away from it, Nikki. It's a good thing."

He didn't respond and her face dropped.

_Why are you so afraid of loving her?_

"I'm not."

She pulled a face.

"She won't run from you Nikola. Not really. Perhaps push a bit and make out like she wants to but Helen... She can't do that to you."

His jaw was tight and he went to walk away. He didn't do discussions on feelings, not now, not ever and especially not with an old flame. Especially not with Rose.

"Why not?" he ground out as she pulled him to stand still.

"Because she's spent too long hurting you and has only just realised it."

He felt his body tense, a thousand emotions running through his mind all at once. Part of him wanted to dance and scream and generally behave like a loon while the rest of him was slowly crumbling apart. She was gone, Helen was gone and she loved him but she was gone and he couldn't save her. He couldn't save the woman he loved. The woman who loved him.

"Nikola," Rose said quickly, stepping close enough to take him by the shoulders. "Nikola, we have to focus. We have to find her... her body." The last word was at a near whisper and Nikola watched as a shiver ran through her body. It was a thought neither of them would ever come to terms with, regardless of how incontrovertible the proof may be. Until her cold, dead body was in their hands, it just couldn't be true. And even then they were going to have a hard time convincing him that she wasn't going to come back from the dead. Again.

"Let's go," he said gruffly, straightening his jacket.

Rose said nothing but kept pace with him, striding down the long corridor and leaving him to his own, rather dark and twisted thoughts.

If Helen really was dead, then there was going to be hell to pay.


	27. Choices

**This one isn't dated because it spirals over several decades but I think you guys will enjoy it :)**

**xx**

* * *

_She'd come to him before to ask it of him, it had been a decision she was so sure of but then war broke out and... well things had gotten complicated. After, when they were safely back in England, Germany's crimes on display for the world he had asked if she still wished to go through with it. She'd asked for a day to think it over although they both knew her answer._

_No._

_It was too dangerous, the Sanctuary network expanding at a frightening rate, taking her further and further from safety. Things were unstable not just for her but for the world. They barely needed to have the conversation but had had it anyway. James had been supportive, taking her hand and telling her he understood the decision and that he'd be there for her whenever she did finally decide to go through with it. And he'd meant it, she was certain but it didn't stop the hurt in his eyes. He knew his suit would last indefinitely and nor would their affections for one another._

_They'd been sleeping together for the better part of two decades by then and it had become an unspoken agreement between them that it would not last. Not for lack of trying or for lack of time but because of all their time. They'd spent too long together in some respects._

_That was why he was upset with her choice. Because if she put it off, he wouldn't be the father. Oh he'd be uncle James, bringer of treats and warm hugs but he wanted more and she knew it. He'd be a good father, she had no doubt in her mind. But it wasn't about him, it wasn't even about her._

_She used John as an excuse blaming his reappearance for her decision not to do it then. Things had to cool, she told herself. Things had to slow down a little. It was stupid, she knew her life would do nothing but increase in pace as the years ticked by._

_So she waited. And waited and waited and waited._

_It was the mid seventies before she thought about it again. Properly thought about it that was. Even then it was nothing more than a niggling presence in the back of her head, asking if she'd still be able, if she'd accidentally killed it by waiting so long._

_It was the early eighties when she began to spend an inordinate amount of time down in the cool cellar the device was stored in. She'd just sit there, looking at the cool steel that hummed away, keeping the child safe and protected. She didn't think while she was there, she simply sat on the floor, back pressed to the contraption as she closed her eyes and took a few minutes for herself._

_James apparently knew about her behaviour, calling her on it once._

"_Are you considering it?"_

_She'd glared at her protégé of the time who had alerted James before rolling her eyes at him._

_That had been the end of the discussion for a time but it didn't stop her from visiting the cool, dark room every chance she got._

_It was her birthday when she finally decided._

_Her staff had thrown her a party, balloons, streamers and cake. The works, they'd called it. There had been goofy party hats, a piñata and several lingering birthday kisses. They'd treated her like a child the entire day, keeping her occupied with guest after guest, coming to congratulate her and wish her well._

_But she hadn't been able to focus at all, her mind being wrapped up in the box down below she wanted to go visit._

_She knew she had to do it then. She had no choice._

_James had come without her having to ask for more than a chance to see him once more. That man was almost psychic, turning up with a wide and knowing smile._

_It was done in a matter of hours. They didn't tell her team what she was doing, just in case it didn't take but then, six weeks later she had to._

"_Whose is it?"_

"_Mine."_

_They'd been politely curious about the whole thing and she hadn't told them everything but a few weeks later when a young boy came to live with them, everyone had looked at her warily as if trying to gauge her reaction._

_She named the boy after her dead little brother, holding tight to him as he shivered in her arms. They realised quickly that there was something different about the (they guessed) seven year old but Helen had brushed it off. She refused to think of it as practicing her parenting skills but when it became apparent that young Henry would not be leaving her Sanctuary any time soon and the word 'adoption' was thrown about, she couldn't bring herself to say no._

_He was by her side when she eventually went into labour, the tiny boy clinging to her hand as he waited for her pain to pass. He'd called the others to her side with a few panicked cries and, although he was shepherded away eventually, she'd been quick to call him back when it was all done._

_He was carefully lifted up to sit on the bed and he peered curiously at the bundle of blankets in her arms._

"_This is your little sister, Henry," she'd told him quietly, looking down at her ninety eight year old baby._

_He simply gaped, reaching out one tentative hand to rest against her sweet cheek._

"_Ashley," she murmured softly, the weight in her arms feeling something close to heavenly. "I've been waiting a while to meet you."_


	28. Captive VI

**This might be the last update for a little while. No proper internet for me this coming weekend and next week helps to redefine 'busy'. But you know what clears my schedule? Reviews. **

**Yes, I'm a review prostitute. No, I have no shame.**

**xx**

* * *

As the door slid open, Imogene carefully cleared her expression.

"How is she?"

"Slipping in and out. She's not fully aware yet but I don't think she remembers being brought here."

"Give me your gun."

"What? She's barely conscious!"

"I take no chances. Hand it over."

"Bu- HEY! You can't just take that!"

"Go get some air, Carla. I'm going to have a chat to our friend."

"Bu-"

"Out."

The tone was so icy that it had Carla almost running from the room, desperate for some fresh air and sun.


	29. Cracks

John took a deep breath, unclenching his fists.

The room was deathly silent, William and Declan crouched over a desk as John lounged in a corner. He was working hard to at least pretend that he was calm. It was this or he'd end up looming over the young men trying to puzzle through the scant information they had.

He was mostly certain they were just posturing, looking at schematics for no reason other than a desperate attempt to keep busy. None of the other heads had been able to locate even a shred of evidence that could be somehow linked to anything that had occurred in the last 24 hours which worried John. Surely they couldn't be that incompetent? It had to be for an actual lack of information, else he was fairly certain the blood lust he'd been working so carefully to control would rear its head once more.

Their silence frightened him somewhat. They'd started with boisterous plans, blathering on about doing this and that and setting up this watch and that investigation but as the minutes ticked by, their chatter had grown quieter and quieter until now. They sat at opposite ends of Helen's desk with papers and files he knew would make no difference.

The tension in the room was palpable and it only served to make it harder and harder for John to control his growing discontent with this entire situation. Trusting Rose set him on edge, it always had and now, as he sat and waited for something, anything he could do that would be useful, listening to her advice seemed even more foolish.

Logically he knew there was nothing more he could do, dashing off and slitting throats was what he did best but right now he had no target.

The faint sounds of approaching footsteps distracted him momentarily and he waited, recognising the two gaits in seconds. He found it vaguely strange that they were not bickering or even muttering on their approach but he brushed it aside. Apparently when it came to Rose and Nikola, things had changed more than he'd realised.

Tesla appeared first, holding the door for Rose as she stalked in, her face dark and shoulders tense. There was something dangerous in the way she held herself and it was nothing physical. She was angry. Actually, more than angry; something he understood. It was rage. It filled her up and flooded her every movement. The beast inside him roared, urging him to run, to leave and to save himself from the monster that she was so close to becoming. It was a darkness within her, one that she was too close to embracing for his liking.

"Both of you stop it," she said curtly, narrowing her eyes at Will and Declan. "There is no point continuing with fruitless activities when time is of the essence."

"What do you suggest then?" Will put in. "We can't just sit around and do nothing like some people." His eyes darted to John briefly and John had to work to keep from snarling at him.

"We start with the obvious," she said. "Start with enemies, long lost enemies who may have some kind of grudge."

"But no one is supposed to know that she's alive," Will countered.

"Someone does," Tesla half spat. "They used SCIU's visit a few months back to implant a command into the systems that allowed them the chance to take her."

"What?" Declan and Will howled at the same time.

"Henry's working on it," Rose said, waving a hand absently in their direction. "But there is a slight chance we shall have to evacuate as he works to remedy the problem."

Again, Declan and Will screeched "What?" at precisely the same time.

"Henry has it under control," Tesla put in firmly, ending the conversation as two very confused looks were thrown his way.

"I suspect they've been working for a while now at trying to find her during the surges," Rose murmured, moving to the window. "Perhaps darting in and out at designated points in the hopes of finding her..."

"What is she talking about?" Will asked.

"I suspect she is merely hypothesising aloud," John said, regarding her curiously.

"... though it must be more complex than that. Surely they'd have been caught now..."

She was very firmly off in her own world, he was sure of it and no doubt using her own special abilities to scour the minds of those around her for any skerrick of information.

"Oh."

She grabbed the edges of the window, knuckles going white as she clutched at it. Her shoulders slumped, lips parting in a silent 'O' before her body tensed. Bottom lip trembling she turned in a stilted circle until she was facing the others, back slumping against the glass of the window with a dull thud. Her eyes were glazed and face ashen.

"What?" John asked eagerly, leaning forwards.

"I think..." she breathed. "I think someone is thinking of her." Her arms flew out as her face creased in pain. Again she clutched at the frame before bowing her head, a low moan of pain slipping through her lips. She shivered with a little gasp, the tendons in her throat bulging as she swallowed repeatedly, until her lips sunk into her bottom lip.

"Someone is thinking of Helen."

Underneath the distress, John could hear the relief in her voice and it clenched at his heart.

"We're all thinking of her," Will said, slowly making his way across the room to her.

"No," Rose said, shaking her head as she drew an unsteady breath. "No, not like that. Someone else, someone I don't recognise."

"Who?" Tesla urged, stepping around Will to wind an arm around her waist, supporting her.

"Don't know," she huffed. "Just a flash, 's gone now."

"Can you follow them?" Declan asked hastily. "Track them? I can get a team geared up and ready to go in less than ten."

"Trying," she huffed before closing her eyes again.

For a second nothing happened, a faint crease between Rose's eyes the only indicator that she was making an effort before she lurched forwards with a terrified cry. Tesla caught her, holding her upright as she swayed in his arms.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she whispered shakily. Her legs gave out once more and she threw her weight into Tesla, allowing him to half carry her to the nearest seat.

"What happened?" Will asked, crouching beside her chair and taking her hand. Tesla shot him a look John would have laughed at under any other circumstances.

"I... I tried," Rose breathed, not focusing on either of the men in front of her, instead looking straight at John. "They... I don't know. They were there and then they were gone. Like Helen. Only, I pushed and... I don't know."

"Focus, Rose," John cut in. "Tell us what happened."

She took a deep breath and he watched as her body relaxed, never dropping eye contact. There was something a little disconcerting in her gaze, something that spoke of realisations that John was certain would be even more trouble.

"Someone was thinking of her, they were afraid and..."

"And what?"

"I'm not sure," she said, voice growing stronger. "She... the woman was afraid for Helen but... but of her too."

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Then the woman just disappeared again. I tried to find her again, to follow the voice but... it's some kind of block. They're protecting their minds, I can't... It doesn't..."

"Focus," he said again.

"Just think of Helen," Nikola said, squeezing her hand. "Focus on Helen."

Rose gave them all a fearful little look that set John on edge before closing her eyes once more. They all watched as her face twitched, a small grunt slipping through her lips. It seemed to go on forever like that, her body twitching and shuddering as she occasionally muttered curses. Her face grew paler as the seconds ticked by, a faint sheen of sweat covering her face and exposed collarbone and John watched as William winced, her grip on his hand growing almost too tight for him to stand. Tesla on the other hand was resolute, eyes glued to her face as her grip grew even more crushing.

Finally her eyes flew open with a gasp, both Will and Tesla being knocked back a few steps as her body arched, a strange kind of energy coming off of her in waves.

She was pale and shaky and John was fairly certain she may actually be ready to throw up but the terror in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Oh shit."


	30. Captive VII

"What the hell were you thinking?" Imogene bellowed. She knew her face would be flushed with an unattractive shade of red and she was breaking her cardinal rule of unending restraint but the fury the boiling up was unstoppable.

"I-I, you said-"

"You've ruined us! You've absolutely destroyed this entire operation! I should have you executed. I should strap you to that bed and test each of your unapproved theories on your sorry arse!"

"Bu-but-"

"How could you do this to us? How could you ruin everything we've worked so hard for?"

"I-"

"Years, years of my life working on this. We've been here for years and now, just as we come to finally reaching our goal, you do this!"

"Surely it's not that bad... I was-"

"Was what? Hmm? You were outside, away from the shield and now... Now they will know!"

"But it was only a few minutes."

"Stop whimpering and get your arse out of here. I can't look at you."

"Bu-."

Imogene cocked the gun.

"Now."


	31. Unexpectedly Expecting

**28****th**** Novemeber, 1888:**

_Helen sat on the edge of her bed, counting in her head. The dates were betraying her and it didn't matter how many times she did it, she came to no other conclusion. Three days ago she'd watched him kill a woman, four days before that Nikola and James had sat her down to explain it to her and three days before that Nigel had come stumbling into the parlour with a bloody gash on his arm. That had been the start of it, she supposed with a sigh. _

_Nigel had been out at James' request to follow up a hunch the detective had had. Sunday night. Following the pattern, it should have been around then considering no bodies had been discovered on Friday or Saturday. It had become their habit to send one of their number out each weekend in the hopes of catching their mystery killer. Helen had held strongly to the belief that they must have been an abnormal and had decided it was their responsibility. _

_John had been sent out the weekend prior. The thought made her blood run cold yet again. He had come home, heartbroken at not catching the man before he took poor Mary Jane's life. Helen had comforted him as best she knew how. Now she hated herself for such actions. _

_But even if she hadn't been with him that night she knew she'd not have been able to prevent what had now happened. Eight weeks, she guessed. She knew her body well enough to recognise the signs and she hated that she hadn't realised sooner. Eight weeks. _

_A sob slipped through her lips and she closed her eyes, praying that none of the beings with super human hearing in the house picked up on the sound. She wanted to be alone to process this. _

_She'd been drifting off to sleep finally, after several long days of being unable to reach such a state when the thought had come to her. Her head had started racing after that and, well, even after checking the maths three times she couldn't force herself to accept what was undoubtedly fact._

_Worse than that, she couldn't figure out what she was supposed to do now._

_Another sob slipped through her lips and this time she couldn't even attempt to stifle it. Wrapping her arms around her body she tried not to think about the fact that her life as she knew it was over. No more science, no more becoming a doctor, no more being even tenuously accepted amongst academic circles. No more abnormals._

_Suddenly there was a knock at the door._

"_Helen?"_

"_Go away Nikola," she called back, working to keep her voice steady._

"_Helen? What's the matter?"_

"_Nothing, please, just leave."_

"_I'm coming in now, all right?"_

"_No, of course it's not all right! This is my bed chamber and I am hardly dressed for receiving visitors..."_

_The last word trailed off as Nikola slipped into the room regardless. He held a candlestick in one hand, the small flame casting strange shadows across his face. The light wasn't enough for her to properly make out the look on his face but she could tell his eyes were dark with concern. He moved towards her cautiously, as if frightened she might chastise him for disobeying her request that he leave. _

_When he finally made it to her side, his small candle resting on the bedside table, she was barely able to keep from shaking once more. He sat too close to her, one arm working its way around her shoulders as the other took one of her hands in his. _

"_Helen," he started quietly, his voice laced with pity and sadness. Normally she would push away such things and demand that he treat her not as someone fragile and broken but, in that very second, Helen knew she was broken. _

_Instead she turned and collapsed against him, one hand flying around his waist as the other fisted in his shirt. He was still dressed in his customary suit, vest unbuttoned so that when she buried her face in his chest, the heat of his skin seeped through and warmed her cheek. The cool night air seeping through the floor boards made her huddle even closer, tucking her legs up so that her knees rested against his legs. _

_He tightened his grip on her almost instantly, holding her firmly as she shook ever so slightly. No tears came but instead she felt herself shivering uncontrollably._

_Nikola didn't speak, just rocking her back and forwards ever so gently as she clung to him. _

_One hand smoothed down her flyaway curls with such tenderness and care that Helen wanted to cry. Only she couldn't, her body wouldn't allow such a traitorous action. Something inside her stopped the tears, seeing them as too weak despite that fact that she was here, in nothing more than a nightgown, clinging to Nikola as he cradled her like a child._

_Like a child._

_Like a child. _

_She sobbed softly once more and Nikola tightened his grip even further._

"_Whatever is the matter, Helen?" he asked kindly, his voice a low whisper. She sniffed and held him tighter. _

"_I... I'm with..." she whispered, biting her lip as a single tear slipped from her eye. _

"_You can tell me," he encouraged, his voice rumbling through his chest and into her in a most pleasant and comforting way. She wanted to tell him, she really did but she didn't want to either. While he would understand it would mean he would see her as dirty and damaged and probably push her away. He was so warm and smelt so lovely that she couldn't bring herself to do it. _

"_I know I can," she replied softly, stealing closer once again. _

"_Then please tell me," he said urgently. "Let me help."_

_She sniffled again and shook her head._

"_You cannot help with this, Nikola. This is a problem of my own making."_

"_Let me try," he urged. "I can't bear to see you like this."_

_She pressed to his chest once more, inhaling the warm, spicy scent of him before preparing for him to toss her across the room._

"_I'm with child."_

_He stiffened almost instantaneously but she didn't let go of him, trying to take as much strength as she could from his firmly muscled chest. _

_After a few minutes she began to pull back and, much to her disappointment, he let her go. Straightening out beside him, she prepared herself to ask him to leave but he cut her off, taking her hand before turning to face her properly. She looked up into his dark grey eyes, praying that he would not think less of her for such an action but it hardly seemed fair to ask such a thing of him when she'd been nothing short of monstrous at times. _

_Then, out of the blue his free hand grabbed her chin tightly, holding her steady and he leaned in and crushed their lips together. Helen blinked in surprise but couldn't remember to fight such actions until he pulled away, eyes unreadable._

_Then he slid from the bed to kneel before her, still holding her hand tightly._

"_Helen," he began as he settled himself on one knee before her. "I know I would not be your first choice and nor is this the perfect beginning to a relationship but... But I care for you more than I could ever possibly express. I love you. I love you, Helen Magnus and I would be honoured if you would agree to become my wife."_

_She gaped at him, eyes wide. He was... Marriage? Of all the reactions she had anticipated, this was not one._

"_Let me care for you, Helen," he continued fervently. "I will give you everything your heart desires, I will never even think to stop you from becoming the illustrious doctor we both know you shall one day become and I will do my best to be worthy of you, to be worthy of being your husband. Let me raise your child as... as... as our child. Let me give you all the things in the world that you desire, let me care for you and love you and stay by your side for the rest of our long lives."_

_His hand squeezed hers gently and he smiled warmly up at her._

"_So, how 'bout it? Will you take me as your husband?"_

* * *

**The only thing I dislike about this chapter is that cannon dictates her answer :(**

**xx**


	32. Captive VIII

She was cold.

Why was she cold?

She couldn't figure out why she was so cold.

Everything was cold.

So cold.

"Mahhh."

And she was sore.

Everything was sore.

Her throat was sore.

Her throat was so dry.

Too dry.

And her head.

It was heavy.

Sore.

She.

Why was everything so hard?

Helen sighed and focused again on moving an arm.

One goal at a time.

* * *

**So, uh, officially, Helen is now not dead. Yay?**


	33. Torture

**Sorry for the delay! Between uni and the prospect of moving house, actually important things like this keep slipping my mind :P Anyway, from here it'll get juicer, I swear!**

* * *

They all looked on as Rose emptied the contents of her stomach for what felt like the hundredth time. Will was shocked there was anything left to come up.

Her entire body was convulsing with each wretch, long hair slipping through Will's fingers as he tried to hold it back. Tesla was sitting at her feet, holding the trashcan in an uncharacteristic show of gentlemanly behaviour.

Declan stood behind her, rubbing a circle between her shoulder blades as Druitt looked on, face ever so slightly creased in concern.

It had been like this for almost ten minutes now, with Rose muttering a few foul curses between lurches. Will was certain he even saw a few bright red tears slip down her cheeks but she made no response to the soft queries as to whether she was feeling any better. Rose barely even seemed to recognise the fact that she was surrounded by people.

Finally she let out a tiny sigh, body shivering as she leant back in the chair. Her eyes were closed and her face frighteningly pale with shaking lips. Will thought it was a pitiful sight. She was tough and rough and could bring Jack the Ripper to his knees with just a look but here she was, looking...

_Distinctly human_, she supplied weakly. _It's not something I'm keen to try again, that's for sure._

Smiling, Will shifted that bit closer, squeezing her hand gently. A ghost of a smile flickered across her face and she squeezed his fingers in return.

"I should get ill more often," she half whispered, voice hoarse. "I've never heard John think so kindly of me."

Slowly she opened her eyes, chuckling softly at Druitt who shook his head, a smile just on the edge of his lips.

"You'd be the first person to wish for illness," he said, looking directly at her. Rose's lips quirked and she cocked her head. Druitt raised an eyebrow in response and Will almost fell over in shock. They were talking in their minds without even a hint of animosity.

"He's merely shocked," Rose said finally, eyes flicking to Will affectionately. "You have to remember, Will, John and I were once something akin to friends. If only for Helen's sake."

Will smiled weakly in response.

"Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy this whole 'not tearing each other apart' thing," Will said, looking to Druitt. "It just..."

"Takes some getting used to," Tesla finished, rolling his eyes. Rose chuckled again, switching her warm gaze over to Tesla where he sat by her feet.

"You're big boys," she teased softly, voice still a near croak. "I'm certain you'll find a way to deal with the shock that I'm not purely a killing machine."

"I do like your nastier side though," Tesla reasoned.

Rose merely sighed and shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak again only to shut it abruptly as she began to cough, each shudder wracking her frame making her seem smaller and more fragile to Will.

"Don't make me do that again," she wheezed as the coughs passed, glaring at them all.

"Do what?" Declan asked, moving around to look down at her, face creased with concern. That was another interesting development, Will thought. He knew he shouldn't have been shocked that the pair had a history, Declan was a bit of an old hand around the network it seemed but there was something between them that was almost tender. It was unexpected considering that Rose readily admitted it had been some time since she'd seen Helen. Plus, he kinda expected something a little more sexual between them, given Rose's history.

Suddenly Declan's gaze shifted to Will and he chuckled.

"Not once, mate," he said with a little grin.

"Not for lack of trying," Rose grumbled. Declan laughed again and shook his head. And now Will was no longer shocked.

"While your lack of sexual allure makes for riveting chatter," Tesla interjected, "I'd much rather you explain to us why the contents of what looks like three or more stomachs is now in the trash can."

"Blame Helen," Rose groused, pulling her hand free of Will's grip before trying to push up from her seat. She failed miserably, flopping back down like a wet fish. Blowing her bangs from her eyes, Rose tried again, pressing up on shaking arms until she just barely managed to stand upright.

She faltered and only thanks to Tesla's hands on her hips did she stay upright. He was still kneeling in front of her, the trash can now discarded to the side. Rose smiled kindly down at him, one hand ruffling his hair fondly.

"Help me to the window," she said softly and he rose, threading an arm around her waist in what was almost a friendly gesture. There was no sexual subtext now, nothing between them that spoke of running off to dark corners or terrorising innocent users of elevators. It was an odd shift and one that Will almost welcomed. Tesla was bad for her, he was dangerous and dark and could do just as much damage to Rose as he could do to Magnus. Hell, his feelings for Magnus would probably be enough to hurt Rose, she practically doted on Tesla!

Will started at the almost protective nature of his thoughts. Since when did he care about whether or not Rose was hurt by Tesla's always selfish and often illogical behaviour? Well, he didn't want to see anyone hurt by the egotistical vamp but this...

Shaking his head, Will merely watched as the two old friends made their way across the room to the window.

Rose wasted no time in pushing it open, sitting on the ledge and swinging her legs over the edge. Tesla stayed by her side, a hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling. Her hand reached up and covered his, leaning into the touch as she breathed deeply.

Just that small amount of sun seemed to be helping her and Will realised that this place, artificial sun included must have been designed with every single abnormal Magnus had ever come across in mind. If it could restore Rose the same way the sun on the surface could... It boggled the mind.

There was so much he should have asked Magnus, he realised suddenly. So many things that he still didn't understand. Like what exactly happened in 1899 with Worth, or how she'd managed to build this place without disrupting Hollow Earth and their interactions with the Sanctuary. Or even... he swallowed, how he ought to keep going without her.

So many lost opportunities, so many answers that died with her. For the first time since Rosie and her merry band of Source Blood boys rocked up on the doorstep Will started to choke up. Magnus was gone. Really, truly gone. Dead. Lost. Kaput. He'd never again have to complain about the thousands of cups of tea or the archaic paper work system (which he had to admit had lessened significantly) or even put up with her answering questions with secret smiles and the patented Magnus 'twinkle' in her eye.

Gone.

Magnus couldn't be gone. She shouldn't be gone. She was _Magnus_.

"She's not gone."

It was as if the room suddenly held its breath and Will felt his heart jump into his throat. He needed her to be alive. He just did...

"Or at least, she's not dead," Rose amended, shifting to face the others a little better. Will watched as Tesla stiffened by her side, his hand now digging into her shoulder.

Will amended his earlier statement, they _all_ needed her to be alive.

"You were wrong?" Druitt asked, voice cold and calculating.

"For the first time in my life, I shall willingly and happily admit that I am, in fact, wholly and unashamedly wrong," she replied, voice low.

"Helen is very much alive."

"Why isn't she jumping for joy?" Declan asked. His face was creased with concern once more only now Will couldn't focus on him. Bolting up, he took a deep breath.

"We have to tell the others," he began hurriedly, plans swirling through his mind. She was alive. She was alive and that meant she wasn't dead which meant she was alive. Magnus was alive. His entire body was almost trembling with the relief. He couldn't focus on Rose and her still rather sombre expression or the thick layer of fear that had settled over the room. Magnus was alive.

"Wait for a minute, boy," Druitt said, grabbing the sleeve of Will's jacket before he could take more than a step forward.

"How?" Tesla asked, his question little more than a whisper.

"They've been watching us," Rose said darkly, leaning forward as her eyes clouded. "For so many years they've been watching us. All of us."

"Who have been watching?" Druitt asked, releasing his grip on Will in favour of walking across the room. He stopped short of Tesla and Rose by a good four foot, hands in pockets.

"I..." Rose breathed, brow furrowing. "They call themselves 'The Order of Maat'."

"'The Order of Maat'?" Declan echoed. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"He's right," Tesla said, stepping away from Rose and towards Druitt. "Do you remember back in London?"

"Yes," the other man said, his voice picking up an undercurrent of excitement. "Didn't Gregory come to blows with them once?"

"Once?" Rose echoed angrily. "Once? Gregory pursued them like a mad dog and got his arse bitten more than once for his troubles, old blighter that he was."

She took a deep breath and turned to almost glare at John.

"But Gregory's idiocy is hardly pertinent. They've been on us for... for a century. No, for... for more than a century. This... _God_! How did I miss this? How could I have not known? How did I not see it?"

"It's not your fault, Rose," Druitt said, voice low and urgent though Will had a distinct feeling that he was just as in the dark as everyone else as to what she was all cut up about now. "You're fallible, you miss things."

"Of course it is my fault!" she roared back, eyes blazing. "I shouldn't have missed this."

Her energy seemed to return in an instant and she was on her feet, pacing about the room with only the slightest wobble from time to time.

"They're old," she said, not really speaking to anyone in particular. "So old, older than any of you lot. And they've been watching us, all of us for years. Tracking us, following us, like prey."

"And taking Helen was their ultimate goal?" Tesla asked, sounding sceptical.

"No," came her uncertain reply. "No, I don't... The girl, Carla, she didn't know that much."

She bit her lip.

"She was... _torturing_. She was... _being _tortured almost." Rose took a deep breath. "They have Helen, they're doing something to her, something with her memories. It's a technology I've never seen before, it's... They're actually watching her memories."

For a moment no one spoke, the silence that fell not quite uncomfortable yet no one was at ease. Will felt his stomach turn at the thought of Magnus essentially being experimented on by an ancient society who had some kind of vendetta against his boss and her closest friends. It was so... so ludicrous yet so perfectly her. Only she could unknowingly incur the watchful eye of the deranged and unstable.

"Perhaps we could ask Kate?" Declan put in. "About the tech, maybe it's Praxian?"

"No," Rose replied easily. "At least, not entirely. From what I saw, it was human made. Alien in design but... this Carla felt very responsible for the creation of the device."

"Is that why you were sick?" Will asked softly. Simply thinking about what was happening to Magnus was bad enough, seeing first hand into the mind of those inflicting pain on her...

"That was a physical reaction to the barrier," Rose replied with a tiny smirk. "They'd done their homework it seems. Everything is practically built with that damn vampire resin. It's why I can't hear Helen, it's too thick, especially around her."

"They're clever," Druitt hissed.

"They're geniuses," she corrected, her tone laced with an undercurrent of fear.

"And they have her," Tesla spat, stalking away angrily. "How is it that they even knew about this place? This doesn't exactly sound like a plan that sprung up over night."

"I don't know," Rose almost bit back. "God, I just... I don't know, Nikola. I want to, I just..."

She sniffed slightly and turned away from her sometimes (but apparently no longer, Will noticed) lover.

"Well, here's a more important question," Declan put in. "How do we get her back?"


	34. Maternal

**I AM BACK! Uni is done and I don't have an internship yet so FIC TIME :D**

**xx**

* * *

"_What do you mean you found him?" Helen asked._

"_Just that," came James' response from the handset. "They say he simply walked into the village without a shred of clothing on his back, bawling his eyes out. Marcus is an old friend and when he saw the boy, he called me."_

"_Why would he call you?" Helen put in as she began to open the nearest file. She had a feeling he was being purposefully cryptic but the fact that James Watson had picked up the phone to call her warranted a little more acceptance of said cryptic-ness. That and the morning sickness was easier to ignore if she could puzzle over him._

"_You'll see why soon enough..."_

"_James..."_

"_I had no choice, Helen. Really, it was this or..."_

"_James?"_

"_I couldn't think of anyone else who would care for him."_

"_JAMES!" she almost yelled. "You better not be saying what I think you're saying or else I am going to have your head on a platter by morning."_

"_I'm sorry, Helen, I really am."_

_Before she could either let out a dismayed retort or another death threat, the door to her office swung open, her old friend cradling a sleeping child in his large arms. _

"_We shall talk later about your punishment, James," Helen told him curtly, hanging up before he could apologise again. Sneaky bastard. He knew her hormones too well and was using them to his own advantage. Lately, anything related to children made her teary and weepy, especially those horrid human interest programs that she knew for a fact were deadening to the brain. Just one look at wide, baby eyes and she was gone into a pile of weeping, woeful woman. _

_It really was disgusting. She'd never cried so much in her life._

_And of course, what was her old friend carrying in his arms? A child. A beautiful, lightly snoring little boy. He had tufts of soft brown hair all over his head and his clothes didn't fit and all Helen wanted was to grab him up and hold him tight._

"_Checked him over," her friend grunted as she moved around the desk. "Seems healthy, might wanna do a proper check up when he wakes."_

_Helen merely nodded, holding out her arms. On closer inspection, he wasn't a baby or even a toddler. He was bigger, perhaps six years old and, when Helen cradled him to her chest, he squirmed and sighed. _

_Breathing deeply, she moved to her sofa, dropping down carefully as she shifted the sleeping child. He was beautiful, she realised, all creamy skin and round cheeks. Running a finger over one cheek, she smiled, not hearing the click of the door as her friend left them alone._

_Damn James, she thought absently. He knew she'd never be able to send him away now, not after holding his warm little body in her arms. She knew it was foolish and probably would be the end of her but she wanted him. She wanted to take this boy and raise him alongside the child growing within her. _

_She shifted him once again, trying not to jostle the boy too much but he awoke, eyelids fluttering open slowly to reveal soft grey blue eyes before the child looked up at her in pure fear. He stiffened momentarily before suddenly wailing, tears falling down his cheeks as he fought her grip. _

"_Shhh," Helen tried, holding him closer to his chest. "Shhhh, it's alright. You're safe, you're safe," she cooed. It took a minute or two but soon enough the boy quietened, shaking in her arms. _

"_You're safe," she said once more, pressing a kiss to his cheek. The boy merely blinked up at her, shying away from her touch ever so slightly._

"_Do you have a name?" she asked, trying to soothe him still. He didn't respond, blinking again before shoving one fist into his mouth and sucking. Frowning, she smoothed over his flyaway hair._

"_Well, we can't call you 'boy' now can we?" she said, sitting him up slightly on her lap. Cocking her head she thought for a moment. Naming a child had always seemed like a terribly frightening thing to do even with a newborn, let alone a child who had probably already been known by one name. More than that, the first names that came to mind were those of her old friends but, considering James' attitude, she could very safely cross his off the list. Briefly she considered naming him Nikola merely to annoy James but that seemed to childish even for her hormone flustered state. _

_And then she remembered the date. _

"_Henry," she whispered, looking down at the boy. Today ought to have been her brother's birthday but instead, for so many years it had marked an anniversary that had been almost too painful to remember. _

_She swallowed thickly._

"_Henry," she said again, feeling more and more confident in her decision. "Henry."_

_And then he smiled._


	35. A Compromising Position

"So who will go?" Will asked as he and Rose made their way down one of numerous corridors that led from Magnus's office. His step was lighter than before and his heart freer. There was danger and fear and this could all go so very wrong but she wasn't dead which was a start.

"Perhaps five of us," she replied. "Of course, back up will be mandatory but a visible front of five should work."

"Are you sure that isn't too many?"

"No, we need to be seen to take this seriously. Bringing the whole network would be overkill not to mention highly risky but..." She bit her lip and looked up to Will with something in her eyes that made his heart clench. Fear prickled up his spine, leaving him a little cold and a lot worried.

"There's something you didn't tell the others," he suggested as they came to a stop. Checking in on Henry could wait.

"I don't think they're after just Helen," she admitted, lowering her gaze to their feet. "The invite? They want all of us, what is left of the Five plus... well, plus me I think."

"Are you certain?"

"Why else would they lead us straight to her? Why else put on such a show? They could have just let me think she was dead and done what they wanted with her. We'd have been none the wiser. This is about more than just Helen and whatever knowledge they hope to glean from her. It's broader, bigger. With the power and knowledge of even Nikola added to what they clearly have learnt from John..." She shook her head. "They could reshape the world however they wanted. With little to no resistance."

Rose looked so small, so defeated that Will immediately pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She let out a shuddering breath and collapsed into his chest, her hands fisting in his sweater as if terrified he'd pull back.

She was tiny, he thought absently. He'd forgotten just how small Rose really was. But she was warm, warmer than any normal human. Not that it should have surprised him; she was so far from normal after all. He felt her back shudder as he smoothed circles between her shoulder blades, fingertips brushing against the thick scarring he could feel running down her back. Her top was only thin, allowing him to feel every bump that marked the solid masses of her concealed wings.. How could such huge protrusions come from someone so small?

"Helen used to wonder the same thing," Rose said softly, chuckling before she raised her head to look up at him. "They're much more delicate than they look. The bones are hollow too which helps when they crush down."

"Seriously?" he asked, eyes wide.

"From the scans Helen took a few years back, I even have these kind of... I suppose you could call them sacks. It all compresses down into these sacks."

She reached back and took his hand, trailing it around the scars until he felt a significant change in the firmness of her back. He traced the edge of the sacks with both hands as she smiled up at him, apparently pleased that he was just as fascinated by her body as she was.

"Will?"

They both turned abruptly to the source of the interruption, Will half springing back from Rose as he met Abby's wide blue eyes.

Rose cleared her throat and carefully stepped back, eyes down.

"A-Abby," Will stuttered.

"What are you doing?" she asked, voice tight and breathy.

"Uh... I-I uhm-"

"I was explaining to Will how the bones in my-."

"I didn't ask you," Abby cut in, not looking to Rose as she spoke. "Will?"

The air seemed to sizzle and crackle around Will and he felt a bead of sweat form on the back of his neck as the silence dragged on and on and on.

Finally, Rose sighed.

"I'm going to go check in with Henry," she said softly, looking to him. "I'll um... When you're ready."

And with that she turned on her heel, walking calmly down the corridor leaving Will feeling like and even bigger jerk than before.

Abby didn't speak, she just stared at him blankly until Will thought he might explode. The tension was palpable and he could feel the disappointment rolling off of her in waves. Or maybe it was coming from him.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he had no reason to be guilty. It was Rose. She was a friend. They were both just worried.

And then he had a rather vivid flashback to the couch, to the way he'd pulled her tiny body closer, to the way her mouth had worked greedily against his and the guilt exploded inside him once more.

"She's alive," he choked out, desperately searching for something to add. Abby blinked, the cold look in her eye disappearing for a moment. "Magnus. She's alive."

"How?" she asked, her shock written across her face.

"Ro- She wasn't very clear," he said uncomfortably. "Some group that's been lurking in the shadows for decades."

"How do we get her back?" Abby asked, swept up in the moment. Will smiled. This was why he loved her; she was so caring, so warm and loving. How could he have hurt her?

"The invite," he said, stepping that little bit closer to her. "We're going to go, Rose thinks that they'll bring Helen to tempt us into fighting."

"What?" she said, face creasing in disgust.

"Apparently they're a new level of twisted too," he agreed. "Between the fact that the note was signed in Magnus' blood and dragging us about in formal wear, I doubt we've seen anyone as messed up as whoever these guys claim to be."

"But is it even safe?" she asked, stepping closer. "I mean, this sounds just like a trap to me."

"What else can we do?" he replied. "It's not like we can go and storm the castle or anything, we don't know where she is, only that she will be at this damn party. It's not like we have a choice."

Abby frowned but remained silent.

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"What?!" Will cried. "With Magnus? No! Of course not!"

"No, not Dr. Magnus. Rose."

Will swallowed.

"Never," he answered truthfully. "I swear, we've never... been like that."

"But you want to be?"

There was so little accusation in her tone Will felt his heart throb painfully. She was too perfect.

"No, Rose is... she's complicated. We've never... I don't see her that way."

Abby watched him silently for a moment before she straightened her back and swallowed.

"Today wasn't the first time, though."

"When we met, she kissed me," he told her, shoving his hands into his pockets. "She said something about a future but... I don't think that was true."

"Because of me?"

"Because she told me last time I saw her that the future changes," he replied. "You're my future, Abby. I'm sorry about... it was... stupid and I-."

"We're not having this out now," she said, holding up a hand. "Once this is all over we can talk but..." she swallowed, "until then, Will, just... leave me be."

And with that she walked straight past him, head held high.

After, Will told himself. After.

If they were all still alive, that is.

* * *

Abby was breathing deeply, in through her nose, out through her mouth in steady puffs. She couldn't stop walking, well aware she'd crumble if it wasn't for the continuous click of her heels on the floor.

She didn't feel overly betrayed and nor was her anger really directed at this Rose character. It was just a deep sense of disappointment. She'd watched Will work alongside such beautiful women as Dr. Magnus and even Kate but never had he showed even a single sign that he might stray.

But here she was, unable to stop thinking about the way Will had been holding another woman as they made out like horny teens on a couch. Foolishly, it seemed, she had believed that only she could elicit such a reaction from him. They'd spent enough time on couches and desks, groping and making out that she'd thought he lusted after her body as well as adoring her mind.

Even worse, she'd given up her life, everything she'd ever held dear to move down here. She was one of those women she'd abhorred. What would happen if she couldn't move past this? Would she stay down here, working within the same network that housed the man she loved like no other? Sure, it was large enough that they could probably go months without having to see each other but she'd know he was out there, somewhere, working as she was.

"Oh, gosh," she suddenly exclaimed, coming to a dead stop. Henry and Erika were straight ahead of her, locked in a rather tender embrace as they grinned at each other like fools. His hand was gently resting on her growing bump with such care that it made Abby's heart swell. They really were such a beautiful couple.

"Sorry," they both mumbled, pulling apart but still wearing their goofy grins. Erika took Henry's hand discreetly, smiling prettily at Abby. In the past few weeks the two had become decidedly close and while Abby was immensely happy for her friends, their obvious happiness made her own predicament even more pronounced.

She smiled tightly at them, prepared to make her excuses but Henry cut her off.

"The baby moved," he said excitedly. "When Rose came to tell us about Magnus being alive... It moved. I just..."

"How wonderful!" she chirped, her voice sounding flat even to her own ears. "That's just... wonderful. Really. Wonderful."

The couple gave her a peculiar look but Abby kept smiling brightly until her cheeks began to hurt.

"Is something the matter, Abigail?" Erika asked, stepping away from Henry with a frown.

"No, no, nothing at all!"

"Henry?" a smooth voice cut in and Abby breathed a sigh of relief as their eyes slid from her and to the newcomer. The bald man. Druitt. The one Will had told her to stay away from.

"Uh, hey," the younger man said, uneasy in the strangers presence. Even Erika seemed to shy away from him, ducking behind Henry though her height made such a move futile.

"I've been sent to summon you," Druitt drawled. "Rose wants you to explain the system reboot you're attempting to the entire network. They won't take her word for it."

"What about Tesla?" Henry whined. "Can't they get him to explain it."

"You know as well as I that no one in their right mind would trust Tesla," Druitt said, his eyes flicking to Abby quickly.

Henry sighed softly but seemed resigned to his fate and with Erika in tow, headed towards the nearest elevator with one last uncertain look to Druitt.

The man in question turned slowly and regarded Abby with curious eyes.

She cleared her throat and tried something of a scowl to dissuade his perusal of her but he merely blinked at her in surprise.

"Ms. Corrigan, yes?" he asked softly, voice strangely kind to her ears. Despite the fear that he managed to draw from her, she felt at ease in his presence too. It was a curious sensation.

"I really should be off, Mr. Druitt," she said tightly. "I have work to complete."

"I'm sorry to have kept you," he said, offering her a small bow. He stepped aside, allowing her passage down the corridor but, as Abby began to move, he followed closely.

"Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Druitt?" she asked irritably as they headed down one of the many winding corridors.

"Please," he drawled, "call me John, Ms. Corrigan."

She pursed her lips but said nothing until they came to another transport pod.

"Where are you off to?" he asked politely, holding the doors open for her with one long, muscled arm.

"I-uh, I don't..." she stammered, clambering in.

He followed her and hit the button for the main floor silently. They both lurched when the carriage sprung to life but he grabbed her before she could fall into the wall. His warm hands spanned her waist easily, holding her steady for several moments too long but Abby didn't pull away. Again that feeling of being safe flooded back and she was barely able to breath for it.

Slowly, his hands dragged away from her waist, lingering for just a moment before he cleared his throat and stepped back.

The doors to the transport pod opened smoothly and Druitt stepped around Abby, holding a hand to her to alight the carriage. She glanced at his palm uneasily for a second before something stronger than common sense kicked in and she took up his offer.

Once she was safely out of the elevator (what a completely unperilous journey, her mind supplied), he let go of her hand swiftly, stepping back and drawing himself up to his full height.

"Thanks," she choked out, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks for a reason she couldn't quite pinpoint.

He studied her again for one long heartstopping moment before his face creased into a warm smile.

"You are a peculiar woman," he muttered fondly but, before she could respond, he turned on his heel and strolled carelessly down the corridor.

Abby waited until he turned the corner before sagging against the wall with a sigh. For some reason it had been the most draining elevator ride of her life. She felt so hot and yet her fingertips were ice cold.

"Abby!" a voice suddenly cried and she turned her head, not yet able to stand of her own accord.

It was Declan, rushing towards her with a friendly smile.

"Quick," he continued, holding out a hand. "We're about to start the briefing and you might as well hear it now."

She nodded and swallowed, hurrying to his side with only one quick look back over her shoulder to the corner John had disappeared around.

* * *

**I WILL MAKE ABBY AND DRUITT A THING BECAUSE BY GOD IT SHOULD BE. **

**xx**


	36. Do-over

_Grabbing the bottle, Helen swung it up to her lips once more, enjoying the way the fine whiskey burned its way down her throat. It was like an anaesthetic of sorts, taking away her ability to think of the other pain. _

_It was a pain she'd been dealing with for weeks now, counting down the days, hours, minutes, seconds until she lost her daughter._

_Again._

_She'd gone over it a thousand times already, thinking out every possible way she could save Ashley without interfering and it just... _

_So here she sat, in the palatial gardens of her new Sanctuary with a bottle of whiskey that had probably been a very expensive gift from a very committed lover a few years back. She couldn't remember and, right now, she didn't really care._

_It was odd, she mused, taking another swig. After having gone through it once already, she half expected the pain to be easier to deal with. Not lesser by any means just... manageable._

_She was wrong. _

_Nothing was more excruciating than sitting, doing nothing, and waiting for the moment to tick by. _

_She'd only allowed herself the opportunity to see Ashley once a year, sneaking little visits when the other Helen's back was turned. Leaving always felt like losing a piece of herself over and over again but until now she hadn't properly contemplated saving her daughter. _

_For so long she'd been able to pretend she had let out all her grief in the way she had for John, taking solace in the fact that neither of them would be suffering any more. It wasn't so much that Helen believed in some kind of Heaven or Hell, more that she had to believe that there was more to existence than this. There simply had to be something more, she was certain of it. _

_And so she had consoled herself with that, reminding herself on those dark and lonely nights that Ashley would be with the grandfather she never really knew, the grandmother who would have cherished her and the baby boy who should have been her uncle. _

_Perhaps even John was with her, looking out for the little girl he'd never really known. _

_And Helen had been doing well with that little mental image, it had kept her going through even the darkest of days until now. The date had almost snuck up on her. _

_But now it was here and she was drinking more whiskey than was probably safe or smart. But really, there was nothing else for it. She couldn't mope over photo albums because she had none, she couldn't fall into the arms of those who would understand because they would be comforting the other version of her. But she could drink. _

_The night air was cool and still, leaving Helen perfectly alone with her thoughts. She couldn't even hear the faint hum of any nearby machinery that clung to her new home even when there was nothing to be humming. There were no lights either, the giant cavern dark and deserted. _

_She wanted it that way, she wanted the dark and the quiet. She couldn't deal with people and their problems today. _

_Helen eyed the bottle in her hands with disdain, wondering why there was barely a sip of whiskey left. She downed it with a frown before tossing the bottle aside. _

_There would be more somewhere. Whenever she finally made her way back to the main building. There was a cellar, already mostly full that she could delve into if her private stores failed her. _

_It felt strangely comforting to be this drunk, she decided. It was like she was invincible and safe yet totally exposed to the world. Like she could feel everything but nothing all at the same time. _

_Her shoulder was tingling, the long healed scars from where Ashley had attacked prickling beneath the light fabric of her top. She rubbed the spot, hand closing around where the wound had been as if holding on to the pain meant that she could hold on to her daughter._

_But she couldn't, not really. When the sun rose, Ashley would be gone from this world and gone from Helen's life for a second time. When it had first happened, so many had spoken to her of the tragedy of a parent burying their child and she'd nodded and accepted their condolences but what no one told her was that she'd have to do it again. The idea that she would have to sit by and watch her daughter suffer again was one she had not been prepared to contemplate and, when James had first talked her out of suicide, it was the one thing that made her consider the action again. _

_Sitting amongst what may have been her greatest achievement to date, Helen couldn't say she wished she had taken her life but the thought of being with Ashley again, of leaving all this petty fighting behind was tempting. _

_She couldn't do it though, not after all this time. _

_Closing her eyes, Helen bit back the tears that threatened. She wouldn't cry, not now. Not when her daughter was still alive. _

_Instead she focused on remembering the way she smelt, the way Ashley felt in her arms, even the way her eyes darkened when she was furious at Helen for something beyond her control. _

_She had to hold on to the memories, to what little she had left because tomorrow morning, when the sun rose once more, Helen would lose her daughter for the second time._

_And then she would cry._

* * *

**This was suggested by queerandnerdy on Twitter when I was moaning about not having enough moments from Helen's second life! Here's hoping I did this justice :)**

**xx**


	37. Captive IX

"Wake up, Dr. Magnus," a cold voice ordered.

Helen tried to open her eyes but all she could make out was a blurry figure standing above her. The stranger seemed surrounded by a soft gold halo, big green eyes blinking at her as the figure moved closer and closer until Helen could feel their breath on her skin.

She moaned, trying to shift away from the hostile figure but her hands... her hands. She couldn't move her hands.

Restraints, she thought blearily.

Then a cool hand grabbed Helen by the chin, forcing her to look straight at the green eyes. Blinking, Helen worked to focus. She couldn't remember anything which was almost as worrying as finding she was tied down.

"Don't play the fool," her captor growled. "I will get the answers I want from you, Helen."


	38. Stuttering

"_James Watson was..." _

_And that was as far as she got before she froze. Helen Magnus didn't do freezing and she had never, in her memory, lost her words in the middle of a speech. She was perfectly fine with public speaking, she really was, it had never been a problem in fact, growing up it had been something she thoroughly enjoyed doing. _

_But now she... she had no words._

"_James," she tried again, her voice reverberating around the mammoth cathedral-like structure with the aid of a small microphone. _

_She looked to the device, hoping it would be easier to look at than the sea of faces. The crumpled speech that shook in her hand was too difficult to focus on because she knew if she did, there was a fair chance she would lose it again. More than that, she knew her speech off by heart. Words from the soul and all. _

"_I met James..."_

_The words sounded so futile to her ears, so empty and flat. It wasn't enough, they weren't enough to sum up... _James.

_At moments like this she would always turn to him. He was the only one who managed to calm her the way she needed to be calmed. Her fear and frustrations weren't always visible or palpable but James always managed to see them and bring her down from whichever dangerous place her mind was lurking. _

_He was... _James.

"_I-uh, I..."_

_She took a deep breath._

* * *

"Lie back and think of England."

"James!"

"Well, it'll keep you calm, will it not?"

"That is hardly appropriate conversational fodder."

"Possibly but you forget this is you and I."

* * *

_Her lips quirked into a smile, something she hadn't expected to occur today._

* * *

"Mom, James is right. Deep breath and it'll all be over."

"You don't think I know that!?"

"She's snippy today."

"It's because I walked in on her having a minor meltdown earlier."

"James!"

"Seriously?"

"Ashley! Enough! Get out!"

"Quite. You'd have thought after all this time a simple check-up would not be cause for alarm."

"I have a perfectly good doctor in town that I normally go to for matters such as this, James. There is no need for you to... perform this particular procedure."

"It's not as if I haven't seen it all before."

"That is beside the point!"

"Aw, c'mon Mom, just loosen up."

"Stop snickering, young lady."

"Sure thing, Mom."

"I'm serious! Ashl-AH! James! Warning next time. That is cold."

"Whatever you say, darling."

* * *

_She nearly started as the memory flashed through her mind, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. Though, of all the flashbacks to have, it was maybe the most fitting. Both James and Ashley had always taken pleasure in making Helen suffer through uncomfortable situations and what was more uncomfortable than burying one of her oldest friends without her only daughter?_

_The memorial service they held for her had been a little under a week ago. The empty casket sat as testament to her daughter's sacrifice whereas James' was full of an old body that did not belong to the man she knew. _

_They'd put off the service for as long as they could and she was only here for the four hours in which it would be conducted. It felt so wrong. This was James, she should have been here to help with it all._

_It wasn't the first funeral she'd had to plan after all._

* * *

"Helen, a letter's just come."

"Bring it over, James."

"It's from Jeanette."

Her heart stilled.

"When is it?"

"Tuesday week. She wants us to come early though and help. Do you think we'll be ready to hand over to your protégé in time?"

"He should be able to handle everything for a week or two."

They both fell silent.

"Is it wrong to miss him when it had been so long?"

"No, he was our friend."

"But still..."

"I miss him too."

* * *

_Planning after Nigel's death had been a nightmare between the travelling and the sheer number of people who had turned up, the minister had conducted the funeral outside simply to accommodate all who attended. It was so unlike Nikola's simple and sheltered affair that Helen had been at a loss as to how to work it all._

* * *

"James?"

"Yes dear?"

"When... when your time comes, please don't make me organise all this for you?"

"If my time comes, Helen, I sincerely hope it is long after you have passed on too."

She laughed softly.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you too."

"Then I shall try my best to outlive you dear."

* * *

_They'd returned home shortly after, Helen growing more and more distant from James. The loss of one of the few constants in her life had left her more unwilling than ever become close with him again._

_When she'd decided to carry Ashley they'd become close again much too both their delights. _

* * *

"She's beautiful."

"I know."

"And so small."

"I know."

"I think I might already love her."

"Me too."

* * *

_It was only when she heard her chuckle into the microphone that she remembered where she was._

_Turning with a smile, she looked at the casket, overflowing with James' favourite flowers. _

"_James. You were one of my first friends and one of the few who ever showed faith in me. I did not say it enough when you were with me but I am forever in your debt and I shall always love you deeply. May you rest in a place far from the memory of Sherlock and his Watson. You deserve some peace at last."_

_And with that she stepped away, taking with her a yellow rose which she placed on the casket. Her fingertips trailed across the polished wood and she smiled._

_He was with Ashley and as long as they were together, they'd both be fine. _

_Which only left her with a global Sanctuary network to worry about. _

"_Goodbye James."_

* * *

**Flashbacks within a flashback? Trippy... Anyway, after AlChocolate's update this morning, I was in an Ashley mood and so thought I ought to put this one up :)**

**xx**


	39. It's a Trap!

"But it's a trap!" one of the Head's (Nikola had forgotten the man's name, let alone his sector) yelled, slamming his fist against the table. "How can you think of risking yourselves when we're already compromised?"

"Oh please, being without power is not compromised," a woman argued scathingly. "I think it's noble."

"If a little reckless," the one with the shaggy hair put in. Now Nikola knew he really should have remembered her name considering the number of times she'd hit on him in the past month. Sally maybe? No, that was the mermaid. Perhaps Sam...

Rose rolled her eyes in Nikola's direction.

Oh, right, Sandra.

"We cannot send off the rest of the matching set," the New York Head said, sounding remarkably even. He was much more likable than that Wexford creature, Nikola decided. They'd come to blows on more than once occasion.

"We don't even know if they're after the others," one of the rational sounding ones added.

"Could you stop speaking of us as if we are particularly valuable sacks of meat?" John cut in smoothly from where he stood by the window, picking at his fingernails.

"But this has all the markings of a trap," Mandy put in, swivelling her chair about to regard John curiously. "Can you say you don't want to rush after Helen?"

"Are you saying I shouldn't want to?"

"So you want to play right into their hands?"

"So you want to let Helen die?" John roared, lurching forwards with fists curled.

Nikola was on his feet a second before everyone else though he sneered at himself for the action.

"No one is saying that," young William cut in, looking around nervously.

"I am just pointing out that there is no easy solution here," Mandy said reasonably. "I'd be the first to dive before a bullet for Helen, trust me but we have to keep our wits, yeah? This is a trap, we know that, so think before you jump in head first and force us to do this without our only remaining assets."

John glared malevolently at the young woman but stepped back without another word and Nikola smirked. Seeing John put in his place always held a strange kind of pleasure for him.

"So then what do you recommend?" the blonde who was supposedly with William asked, startling Nikola. She was a strange young woman, there was no doubting that but her frosty tone that almost seemed to be in defence of Druitt was even more startling.

Mandy quirked an eyebrow and pursed her lips but, other than giving off a distinct air of amusement, said and did nothing.

"I'm all for Rose's plan," MacRae put in tersely. He stood beside where Helen's chair would normally be, the damaged remains of the chair Nikola had torn apart having been moved out of sight for the time being.

A pang of embarrassment flashed through Nikola at the glaring reminder of his earlier behaviour but really, he couldn't be held responsible for outbursts at a time like this. The anger that had caused it was still bubbling away within him, to be perfectly honest. This lot of bumbling fools clearly didn't understand how impeditive it was that they get Helen back sooner rather than later. Yes, it may have been only a few short hours since she disappeared without a trace but they'd yet to really do anything other than shut off all the power.

Nikola had fumed for a few minutes at the way Henry had instigated the shut down but even her was man enough to admit it had less to do with the indelicate method and more about the uselessness he couldn't shake.

It was almost like being back with the Five in the early days. He'd been the odd one out then, unable to participate in the biological discussions the others revelled in and often he'd been forced to sit on the sidelines. It had driven him to learn more and more and more of the science but the sleepless nights studying genetic inheritance and the way in which a mutation could be fatal had bored him to the point of tears despite the beaming smile he got from Helen whenever he could jump into such a conversation.

This was different though, he couldn't brush up on his least favourite strand of science to fix this problem and, in a lot of ways, there was little he could offer. His specialty was hiding, not retrieving.

Part of him ached to think that he could have spoken to her one last time if only he'd called a little earlier. He'd been so engrossed in his work that it was only three hours after the time they'd nominated that he'd looked up and realised he'd missed her entirely. Of course, he'd tried to call but he'd assumed that the fact that her phone was off spoke more to the fact that she was busy than anything else.

He'd even taken a break earlier in the day and contemplated calling her then. It was only a stubborn desire to not seem overly interested that had led him back to his workstation and the conundrum that was their power issues.

Or, apparently, not. No power issues, he mused angrily. No power issues, just a crazed, ancient organisation who were trying to kidnap the love of his life. No power issues, which meant he hadn't needed to be on the surface, looking into every available tech that was compatible with the Praxian pieces they had on hand.

He could have been with her.

It was only when all the eyes in the room were on him that Nikola realised he'd let out his growl of frustration.

He merely glared, unapologetic.

They could think whatever they wanted, he'd put up with enough ridicule in his life to deal with their curious glances as they wondered about the true nature of Helen's relationship with 'the pet vampire'.

_What is the nature of your relationship? _Rose asked softly, her eyes carefully trained to the map of Old City spread out over the polished table.

_None of your business,_ he snapped back mentally. She let out a verbal sigh and her shoulders slumped but made no response, mental or otherwise.

Instantly Nikola felt a little ashamed. Rose was, despite the crazy woman exterior at times, the only one who'd stuck by him properly. Helen had, in the early years, wavered in her affections for him and though he didn't blame her for it, Rose had been there when Helen wasn't and for that he would always be grateful.

Even if he couldn't bring himself to term what he had with Helen as a proper relationship, Rose didn't deserve his anger and self loathing.

Suddenly he felt a calming sensation wash over him and he watched as Rose shot him a small smile of understanding and instantly he felt better. The guilt and anger wasn't gone or even buried, just pushed around enough to make room for a calmer frame of mind.

"Got something to add, Vlad?" the Freelander girl asked, for once her tone not cutting and derogatory. Nikola could really get to like this girl.

"I don't want to wait," he stated plainly. "But we cannot risk Helen being hurt by blundering in."

No one spoke for a moment.

"Sooooo?" William asked, drawing out the word expectantly.

"So there is no easy answer, Protégé," he snarled in response.

"How about we take a vote?" one of the more timid Head's asked.

Which, of course, resulted in another bout of yelling and screaming and fists thumping on the desk. With a sigh, Nikola turned away from the infantile Head's and looked out the large window.

The artificial sun was setting for the day, dimming through various shades of red and pink to cast a surprisingly realistic glow across the grounds. It seemed strange to think that all this was here, still working as per usual (well, almost) yet Helen was gone. Nikola half expected to see her strolling up the path with a serene smile on her face as if she'd merely escaped for a few hours without telling anyone.

In a lot of respects, it would make more sense than everything that was going on.

Actually, this made her jaunt back in time sound like the most average of occurrences. Helen had always been one for the overly dramatic and often highly improbably but Nikola thought this may very well take the cake. It was certainly the most terrifying in many ways.

The thought that she may not come back could only be dwarfed by the feelings that had coursed through his body when he'd thought her dead. Of course, he'd never really believed Rose but, in the same breath, he had. How could he not? Until now, they'd all believed her abilities somewhat infallible. Between that fact and the bond Helen and Rose seemed to share, doubts seemed unfounded.

"Your faith in me is astounding," a soft voice said by Nikola's elbow. He looked down to see Rose, smiling up at him with still sad eyes.

"It's well founded," he said, shrugging and turning back to face the window. Rose rested her head against his shoulder with a little sigh but made no other move to touch him for which Nikola was glad. Since starting whatever he'd started with Helen the thought of anyone else invading his personal space had become almost as abhorrent as it had been in the early days. Well, with one huge, glaring exception that was Helen Patricia Magnus.

It turned out she had the softest hands in the entire world.

Only when Rose hummed happily against his shoulder did he remember that he wasn't alone and free to let his thoughts wander.

"Don't stop," she whispered. "I like your happiness, it's... warm."

Chuckling, Nikola shifted, pulling her closer despite his aversion.

"Will we get her back?" he asked softly after a beat. Rose hummed again and pressed herself further into his side.

"I hope so," she whispered, voice wavering.

Swallowing heavily, Nikola brought forth every ounce of inner strength he'd accumulated over his very long life and turned, Rose still tucked beneath his arm.

Those at the table were still talking but much more softly and he didn't miss the way their eyes darted away, guilty at being caught staring.

"I still say we wait until the ball," Declan put in tiredly, his voice wavering as his gaze drifted to Rose for a moment. "It's a trap but at least we can try and level the playing field. If we go now, there's no telling how it'd play out."

"We cannot wait," the boy from New York retorted in strangely calm voice. "What if they get bored and kill her now?"

"Well, firstly, bored is just not the right word," Mandy put in darkly. "And more to the point, we don't have a clue as to where they actually are keeping her. We can't burst in, guns blazing even if we wanted to."

Nikola felt Rose shift uncomfortably by his side but said nothing. So apparently that wasn't entire true but, at this stage, he wasn't about to point that out to this particular bunch of trigger-happy, freaked out children with too much power.

He could always force it out of Rose later.

"So we wait?" Kate asked, looking around the room. Another bout of yelling erupted but William, much to Nikola's surprise, silenced them all simply by holding his arms up.

"We wait," he said evenly though Nikola saw the apprehension in his eyes. "We have to wait."

"And in one week, we walk into the lion's waiting mouth," John said softly.

* * *

**Sorry if anyone got an email for another chapter, I made a teensy mistake! But from tomorrow onwards, you'll actually be getting an update every single day for seven days because Helen's trusty team have to wait seven long and painful days before they can do anything :P**

**Prod me if (when) I forget!**

**xx**


	40. Fright

_Helen hummed in content, snuggling down into the bed as the storm raged on outside. She'd always enjoyed storms, the raw power of them excited her and the rain sluicing against the windows made her sleepy. It was the kind of night she knew she was assured of deep, restful sleep._

_In fact, she'd been dreaming on and off for a little while now, drifting on the precipice of sleep and consciousness. She supposed that it made them more memories than dreams but she was so content that she couldn't bring herself to distinguish between the two._

_She was dreaming about picnics on river banks, summer sun warming her skin as she pulled a cherry from her bodice. Nikola was across the rug laughing at her, vest unbuttoned as homage to the warmer temperatures. He looked so young and naive to her eye. It was back when things had been simple and uncomplicated. Back before he died both metaphorically and, it seemed, physically. Almost 60 years and no contact? Dead was the only word she could come up with to describe it._

_Helen sighed, brow knitting together though she refused to open her eyes._

_She'd not allow herself to dwell on the past. It was all so long ago it hardly mattered. What did matter was the happiness she'd felt that day. Taking that and only that, Helen let herself drift off into sleep, a small smile tickling her lips._

_Only when a small whimper reached her ears did she wake again. It was still dark and the storm still raged but she was alert instantly._

_The whimper came again and she sat up, twisting in the sheets to look at her bedroom door._

_"Ashley?"_

_The whimper came again and she watched as the door slowly inched open, a tiny sliver of light peeking through._

_"Mommy?" she asked softly, her voice small and pitiful as she stepped through._

_"What is it darling?" Helen asked, all thoughts of returning to sleep gone. The five year old sniffled, rubbing a fist across her face. Her little blonde plaits were in disarray, half unwound and her light blue pyjamas were misbuttoned with all the stubbornness of a child who insisted on doing everything herself._

_She sniffed again and walked slowly towards the bed, bottom lip trembling._

_She said nothing as she pulled back the covers, struggling to haul herself up onto the bed before crawling across to Helen, curling into her open arms._

_"Mommy, I'm scared," she whispered before a tiny sob wracked her body._

_Helen gathered her daughter in her arms, sliding back beneath the covers as she pressed a kiss into the soft blonde hair._

_"Remember what I said?" she whispered in response, rubbing circles on the girl's back. "If it doesn't scare Henry,-"_

_"It shouldn't scare me. I know," Ashley said softly. "But... but..."_

_"I know," Helen said, cutting her off. She pulled the girl closer to her chest as she felt sleep once again creep up on her._

_"Mommy?" Ashley asked, her voice thick with exhaustion._

_"Yes, darling?"_

_"When you were little, what were you scared of?"_

_Helen had to smile at that._

_"Of bees and cuts and elocution lessons."_

_"Electrocution?"_

_"Much worse," Helen assure the girl. "I'll tell you all about it in the morning. For now, sleep."_

_Ashley fell silent for a minute though Helen was under no pretence that the girl was yet asleep._

_"Can I stay?"_

_"Always," Helen answered instantly, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head once more._

_That was another thing she loved about thunderstorms._

_Ashley in her arms._

* * *

**Day one and doing well! No prodding yet :P**

**Also, I like this one because I'm getting my Ashley face on at the moment.**

**xx**


	41. When Rose met Sally

The lethargy Helen had felt before was gone, replaced by trembling in her limbs. When they had established that the trembling rendered her essentially defenceless, they'd released her bindings, leaving her to huddle in the corner.

She pressed her hands to either side of her head, trying to block out the beep of the nearest monitor and curled in on herself. Everything hurt, everything was bright, everything was... was... was everywhere. She could see and hear and feel and it was all too much all of a sudden.

Blinking, she tried to focus on the dull grey of her walls instead of the mirror she knew concealed some kind of scientist.

The person who was keeping her here.

Suddenly she was screaming, the noise ripped from her lungs as tears fell down her grimy cheeks.

Again she grabbed the side of her head, grunting and groaning as she collapsed to the floor, the last of her energy giving out.

And that's when she felt it. Small, cold, round. Against her temple.

Frantically, she clawed at it, heart beating furiously.

It shouldn't be there, she though as she fell back against the freezing cold wall, hissing at the contact.

It shouldn't be there.

* * *

Imogene smiled as she watched the woman before them become more and more frantic, fingers prying at the device that would never come loose.

Her stringy hair clung to her sweaty face just as the thin hospital gown clung to her body. She looked pitiful really.

The great Helen Magnus, a sweating, screaming mess of a woman. Because of her. It was a strange satisfaction Imogene couldn't ignore. It was her plan, her work, her genius.

Turning, she watched the monitor, tuning it until the images slowed just enough that she could properly follow the memory.

Mermaids, she thought. Interesting...

* * *

"_Don't you even think about falling asleep," a terrified voice whispered in her ear. Helen could do nothing more than moan as another round of shivers wracked her body. She was so cold and so tired. They'd been waiting in the water for what felt like hours. _

"_Please?" she breathed, trying to open her eyes to look at whoever it was she could feel wrapped around her waist. _

"_Helen," the voice whispered again. "Helen, if you die like this I might have to kick your arse, alright?"_

"_M'kay."_

_The voice chuckled before groaning._

"_Bloody... It's cold."_

"_Mmm. 'S the Arctic."_

"_Which begs the question of why they hell you're taking a dip in all these blasted skirts."_

"_No choice," Helen said, head lolling forwards until it came to rest on a lightly clothed shoulder. The fabric was only slightly damp, unlike Helen and it smelt familiar._

"_Rosie," she breathed with a happy little sigh. It was always good to see Rosie._

"_They thought you were dead, Helen," Rose whispered, hugging her closer. Rose was much warmer, her body heat drawing Helen in. Well, as much as she could move into her embrace that was. Her limbs were too cold and heavy for any real movement. _

"_Hmm 'm not dead."_

"_No, you're not. But they've gone. The rescue boats left."_

"_Good thing you're here."_

"_I... God, Helen, I'm so sorry."_

"_Why? 'S alright."_

"_I'm too tired," she whispered softly. "I'm too tired, Helen. I can't. We'd both die if I was to even try."_

"_Bugger," Helen murmured. Then she sighed. "Niklaaa will be mad at me."_

"_He won't be mad, darling. He won't be mad at you."_

"_But I was 'posed to meet him. 'S why I 's on the boat."_

_Suddenly Helen felt her whole body lurch. _

"_Mm, stop it, Rosie."_

"_It wasn't me," the other woman said, loosening her grip. Helen murmured her disapproval for the action but Rose shushed her._

"_There's something out here," she breathed. "Hold still, Helen, the debris might come apart if we're not careful."_

_Again they lurched and this time Rose grabbed Helen tighter. Something grabbed her ankle and she didn't think it was Rose._

"_Let go," she mumbled, trying to shake off the strange hand. It was slimy and cool though nowhere near as cold as the water._

_Blinking through the haze that had her pinned Helen caught a glimpse of a ghostly face shrouded in damp, clumped hair. The face blinked serenely at her once before a strange, keening wail erupted from the creature's lips. _

"_She's pretty," Helen breathed and Rose chuckled._

"_She thinks you're pretty too," Rose told her warmly. "And she has a plan to get you to New York. I'll make sure Nikola is waiting for you."_

"_But how?" Helen tried again as the creature rose even further from the water, her grey skin shimmering as the water rolled off of her shoulders._

_And next thing she knew, Helen's hair was being tenderly brushed back off her face, smiling grey eyes locked on hers. _

"_Niko?" she croaked, throat dry. _

"_You had me worried," he said, hand cupping her cheek. _

"_H-how?" she asked, trying to sit up. He helped her, hands lingering on her shoulders and back but she couldn't remember the words that would push him away again. Her brain was fuzzy and hardly working and proper boundaries were just not where she was focusing what little coherent thought she had._

"_Where am I?" she tried again. _

"_New York," he answered, shifting closer to her. "We found you down by the docks seven days ago. You've been slipping in and out of consciousness since then."_

"_How?" she breathed, head pounding. She couldn't remember anything except the cold, biting and unrelenting cold and slippery faces that melted away._

_The room was warm, tiny but glowing brightly thanks to the fireplace roaring away cheerfully. It smelt familiar, like Nikola's old rooms back at Oxford only this time it was much more homely. The bed was warm and soft, the sheets fresh beneath her hands. His desk sat in one corner, piled high with notes and books and a single silver photo frame she recognised as one that had previously sat on her desk._

"_I... I don't know," he admitted. "I heard about the ship and I waited for the other boat but I... I thought you were gone Helen."_

"_It... sunk," she said, barely paying attention to him as the memory came flooding back. "There was so much water. And not enough lifeboats. Oh my, Nikola... All those people!"_

"_Seven hundred and ten," he said solemnly._

"_Dead?" she breathed, tears forming. _

_He shook his head and she felt sick to her stomach. _

"_There were more than 2000 people aboard," she whispered and Nikola pulled her close. "And they're all..."_

"_The list of casualties was posted just a few hours ago," he said softly, pulling her close and Helen half collapsed into his chest. "You weren't on there. I told them that you managed to board the Carpathia and must have hidden away."_

_She nodded mutely and clung to his chest. _

"_I sent a telegram to James as well, I though he ought to know that you were alright. And one to Nigel as well, just in case you'd told him of your plans too."_

_Again Helen nodded but said nothing. Carefully Nikola's hand came down to rest on her back, rubbing small circles into her skin. She was dressed, she realised, in nothing more than his old night shirt and it barely came further than her knees. With the way she'd twisted to sit on the side of the bed, it pooled high on her lap but she couldn't care. Instead all that mattered was Nikola's warm, reassuring embrace._

"_Helen?" he asked softly after a minute. "Do you... Do you remember how you got to New York?"_

_She sniffed and raised her head, thinking back. There was darkness and cold and a pair of warm arms but there was little else she could recall. Aside from the ghostly face, so strange it must have been a dream._

"_How did you know where to find me?" she asked looking up at him. Nikola gave her a sheepish smile and cleared his throat. _

"_Well, that's why I asked. Do you have a pet mermaid, Helen?"_

* * *

**All right, so from now one, you'll get a 'Captive' chapter plus the memory but I'm putting them in one chapter because it's easier to upload and probably to read. Anyway, yay Titanic! I know a lot of people have been asking me to write my version of Teslen!Titanic and now you can see why I held off :P**

**xx**


	42. For Warmth

"What have you done to me?" Helen gasped out, glaring at the impassive woman who stood before her.

"Tell me about Vienna," her captor bit back, crossing her long arms delicately before levelling Helen with a malicious glare.

"You won't get away with this," she tried, vision swimming. She had to stay awake, fight whatever it was they pumped into her every time she fell asleep. Whenever she awoke from a blackout, she was back on the metal gurney in the corner, another set of needles buried in the crook of her arm. Once they'd even shot her with what looked like a very sleek, very lethal tranquiliser gun.

She couldn't keep time straight in her mind. Each time she saw the captors they were dressed differently, talking about different things and... and... and it was making her crazier. Oh yes, she was crazy, Helen was more than aware that she'd lost it long ago. Between the all too vivid memories that seemed like dreams and her new found inability to see any less than two copies of any given object, Helen knew she'd finally lost her marbles.

Gritting her teeth, Helen snarled at the woman, shuffling further back into her corner.

Vienna.

Vienna. Vienna was a happy place.

Happy.

Happy.

Happy.

* * *

_Helen shivered as she peeled away the sodden layers of her dress. Taking a dip hadn't exactly been on her list of things to do today considering the cooling breeze but she was thankful for Nikola's quick thinking regardless. If he hadn't dumped them both of the side of the bridge... Well, she shuddered to think about it and it had nothing to do with her nearly frozen limbs. _

_The fire was roaring and took the edge off of her chill but it wasn't enough. Patting herself down with a small cloth, she tried desperately not to let her teeth chatter._

_The one thing worse than the frigid, filthy waters was the walk home that had taken over two hours. And, of course, the sun had disappeared half way through their walk, leaving her shivering and bare foot on the rather chilly streets of Vienna with only a coatless vampire to keep her warm._

* * *

_Nikola shivered at the sight before him. She was... she was beautiful. And she was naked. Completely, one hundred percent unclothed. He knew he should look away, continue reading his book in the closet he'd been shoved into rudely._

_She'd pushed him in there haughtily, giving him a candle to read by before slamming the door. Only the latch hadn't taken and the door had drifted open ever so slightly. Nikola hadn't even noticed until he heard her little sigh and looked up. But boy was he aware of it now. _

* * *

_Snatching her thin nightgown from where it lay on the sofa, she pulled the cotton over her damp hair. It didn't do much against the cold but everything helped as she stepped closer to the fire. She worked the now damp cloth against her head for a moment, wringing out the damp curls that fell down her back. Suddenly she lamented leaving her hair so long, it would take an eternity to dry after this. _

_Sighing heavily, she sat on the sofa and rummaged through a small bag she'd taken from the closet before shutting Nikola away. The lotion was one Nigel had created for her, it smelt of lavender and honeysuckle and was the one concession she made to 'feminine pursuits'. It calmed her like nothing else and she found the entire ritual of massaging it into her legs and arms relaxing. _

* * *

_He watched with wide eyes as she carefully pulled up the cotton nightgown she wore, allowing it to pile on her lap. The creamy skin she exposed was beautiful, almost shimmering like silk in the dappled light. He yearned to touch it, to run his hands up and over her legs to pull her close. He wanted to toss her nightgown aside and pull her down to the plush rug before the fire place. _

_He wanted to hold her close as she cried out in pleasure._

_Snapping his book shut, Nikola stood and swallowed._

* * *

_She worked the moisturiser into her legs methodically, massaging the tired muscles. Running through that blasted park had exhausted her despite the adrenaline that had kept her going at the time. Why abnormals always felt the need to chase her was a mystery she never expected to understand. Whether she intended to help or capture or, on rare occasions kill, it didn't matter. They all ran. Or tried to kill her. Either way it ended up with many dresses and shoes and stockings and all number of items destroyed for her efforts. _

_Today, of course had been different. This creature, whatever it had been had escaped from somewhere, she was certain of it. The industrial buildings they had chased it from were not its home. It was a creature that sought electricity like a moth to a flame and there hadn't been even a skerrick of the power it required in those dilapidated buildings. _

_Plus the dead bodies did suggest that there had been a struggle of some sort. _

_It had unsettled her, seeing those bodies. They were not her first corpses by a long shot and it was unlikely to be the last time she came across such a scene but to see human flesh burned to the point of disintegration in the middle of the day made her stomach turn just thinking back to it. The only way she'd been able to make out their genders was from the large skirts one of the corpses still wore. Her skirts had been singed with soot, the blue velvet turning dark with what Helen strongly suspected to be blood. The men beside the female victim had been in no better of a state, their clothing smoking slightly._

* * *

_She was getting distracted, he noticed from his position peeking through the gap. Her hands had slowed on her thighs and her eyes were glazed. Breathing deeply he took in the scent of her lotion and smiled. How glorious it would be to be surrounded by those delightfully perfumed legs. _

_Wicked thoughts were running through his head and he couldn't stop them. She was beautiful, mouthwatering, everything he could possibly need in a partner all wrapped up in the most delicious parcel. _

_Recently, he was ashamed to admit, he'd begun to doubt the depth of his feelings for her, wondering if perhaps they were nothing more than the fanciful longings of a young man who had yet to experience the world. _

_But he was wrong. He loved her as much as he ever did and it was no childish infatuation. He loved her in a way that damaged him, weakened his resolve and broke his heart. He needed to be allowed to sweep across the room and tug her into his arms, he needed to know that he could hold her without fear of recrimination. _

_And he needed to know why she suddenly looked so sad and forlorn. It made his heart ache just watching her. _

* * *

_Biting her lip, Helen forced the images from her mind. The cold was starting to seep into her consciousness again so she stood, straightening her nightgown absently as she strolled towards the plush bed beside the fireplace. _

"_Nikola?" she called as she pulled back the quilts._

_A brief crash followed her words and she turned, frowning until the door slowly opened and he emerged sheepishly. _

_Arching a brow she waited for him to explain but the words seemed to catch in his throat. His eyes were glued to her, travelling slowly down the length of her body before finally his gaze caught on her face. _

_He had been watching._

_She didn't know how she knew it or how she felt about it but it was true. He had been watching from his spot in the closet. _

_She swallowed and he gave her a tentative smile. _

_Helen was not an innocent young thing anymore and as she stood before her oldest, closest friend in nothing more than a nightgown she was fairly certain he could see through she was very much aware that she was no longer the young miss who had let his hands wander beneath her skirts one lazy evening before the fire. _

_She stood now as a woman, as someone who knew the pleasures his body could give her and those she could give him. _

_This was what she needed, a small voice told her. This was what she needed to finally free herself from the plague that had cursed her these past few years. Nikola would be the one to break John's hold on her, he would be the man to claim her body and allow her to move on. Finally. _

_Only she didn't know how. She had never seduced anyone in her life, only the stories of women delicately raising their skirts to guide her actions. _

_And what if he did not think her attractive? What if her body did not please him? What if she could not please him? She knew of bedroom matters, yes. She knew what brought her pleasure and she knew what she wanted but... but she couldn't be that forward. She couldn't say such things to Nikola, her dearest Nikola. With John it had been different, their courtship had slowly introduced her to what he liked about her body and how he liked her to act and when they had finally lain together there had been an understanding that this was merely the precursor to their lives together as man and wife. _

_This was... not courtship. She wasn't foolish, she didn't believe that a physical relationship need necessitate any legal bindings but this... _

_A shiver ran through her body and before she could even finish the thought, Nikola was on her, bundling her into the bed quickly and drawing the covers up and under her chin. _

"_I shall take a seat by the door," he said, brushing a damp curl from her cheek. "I'll keep watch for you."_

"_Actually," she reached out and grabbed his hand as he went to pull away. "Would you sleep with me?"_

_Her cheeks pinked at the statement but she didn't release his hand until he smiled faintly and nodded. He rounded the bed and she twisted to watch him, a little afraid that if she lost sight of him that he would disappear. _

"_Turn," he commanded, wiggling his fingers at her. "I have to undress."_

"_If we are to share a bed, Nikola, I hardly think me seeing you in your smalls is going to make a difference."_

_He pulled a face so she sat up, crossing her arms firmly. _

"_Helen, please," he tried again. _

"_Hurry. Niko. I'm tired."_

_With one last pleading look he relented, turning his back and stripping off his clothing far quicker than she had expected. And then, with alarming speed he dove for the covers, pulling them up to his chin and blinking owlishly up at her. _

_She frowned._

_After the spectacle she'd accidentally given him, she wanted at least a peek at his chest. He always felt so solid behind her despite his lanky frame. Quickly as she could she tore the covers back, grinning evilly as he gasped in surprise. _

_He was small and pale, as she had expected but his abdomen was startlingly defined. Further than that, there was a light dusting of soft brown hair that ran down from his bellybutton to disappear beneath the waistband of his cotton undergarments. It was curious and she had half a mind to reach out and touch his abdomen but he was too quick, tugging the blankets back up and over them._

_He frowned and muttered something under his breath in Serbian before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her down to the bed._

"_Go to sleep," he ordered, trying to sound stern._

_Helen merely smiled, shuffling closer to him until they were only a hairsbreadth apart. _

"_Nikola?" she breathed and he turned onto his side, something uncertain swirling in his eyes._

_Neither of them spoke for a moment as Helen steeled herself. Slowly, so as not to frighten him, she shifted even closer, pressing her body to his. _

_Tentatively they arranged themselves beneath the covers and Helen smiled as he tucked her against his chest. It was almost as if they were made to fit together like this. _

_He hummed happily, his arms tightening around her slightly. _

"_Can you feel it?" he whispered. "The residual energy."_

"_It tingles," she agreed softly, placing her hand flat on his back to increase the sensations. _

"_Must be because of the water," he began to hypothesise._

"_Shush," she ordered. "Sleep now, science later."_

_And that was it, within moments they were both fast asleep, clinging to each other in the darkness._

* * *

**Vienna! Yay!**

**Sorry for the delay, last night was full of football and politics and it all got away from me.**

**xx**


	43. Nikki

Imogene curled her lip, watching the fragmented memory once more.

"Stupid bitch," she muttered under her breath. How was she doing it? No one had been able to direct the device before, all it should have taken was the mention of 'Vienna' and the images should have been immediately accessible.

How was she doing it?

* * *

"_This is pointless," John whispered softly from somewhere behind her but Helen ignored it. So they'd been searching for nearly an hour? Wasn't it worth it if they managed to track down the creature before it froze to death? It may have been only early autumn but the night air was chilling, even through her layers Helen felt colder than she had in a very long time. _

"_We cannot leave her out here to die," Helen whispered back, not taking her eyes from the small pool of light her lantern cast. "Perhaps we should try the pond again?"_

"_We've checked the pond three times already Helen," James said evenly. _

"_What if she's left the property though?" Nikola asked, sounding concerned. _

"_We checked the fences," James replied quietly. "There weren't any indicators of a break and we already know it cannot climb up that high."_

"_That's not technically true," Helen put in as they rounded another tree. "She could very well climb that high if something scared her enough."_

"_You could have mentioned that earlier," James said, sounding exasperated but Helen didn't let it put her off. _

"_There is nothing out here to scare her that badly," she bit back. "I'd have told you about it if I felt it was pertine- Nikola, what are you doing?"_

_She frowned, turning around to glare but, before she could shake off the hand that landed on her hip, he put a finger to her lips, the heat of the lantern almost scorching through her leather coat. He shot her a look of warning and she had to fight against the flash of disappointment she felt at not being able to suck his finger into her mouth because of their audience. Not that she was certain he'd enjoy such an action but, with his hand on her hip and his scent invading her nostrils, getting somehow closer to him was quickly becoming something of a priority for her. _

_He had his head cocked, listening to the sounds of the night so she did the same, halting her breathing until she heard that telltale rustle in the bushes just behind them. She and Nikola spun at the same time, eyeing the bush with matching looks of fear._

_All her desire fell away at the noise, her body instead realising that Nikola could be in danger. She hadn't been kidding when she'd spoken of the problems their cologne could cause. The Raxacoricofallapatorius had a highly developed olfactory sense and was terribly sensitive to strong odours._

_Thankfully the soap and perfume Helen had used for most of her life appeared to have no effect on the little darling, in fact it seemed to thoroughly enjoy nuzzling into the exact spot she placed her perfume every morning. _

"_Is it-," James started but Helen held up a hand to silence him but it was too late, the creature sprang into action and out of the bushes and it was only Nikola's quick thinking in pushing her to the side that saved them from being bowled over by it. _

_As it was, she did end up with her front pressed firmly to an old, gnarled tree but any discomfort she felt from the position melted away at the sensation of Nikola pressed against her back. He was panting against the side of her neck, arms around her and, despite the adrenaline and need to race after the creature, all Helen truly wanted to do was turn in his embrace and wrap her arms around him but Nikola was too quick, pulling away before the position could get any more compromising. _

"_Thank you," she breathed, barely looking at him before hurrying off in the direction she'd seen the Raxacoricofallapatorius dash. _

"_Helen!" James called out in surprise as she hurried past him but she didn't stop, clinging to her lantern. Soon enough though, she came to a stop, listening intently for any more sounds but, too soon the crunch of boots on grass caught up with her. Holding up a hand, she silently prayed for silence, pleased when the others came to a silent stop behind her. They all waited for a few seconds, listening to the sounds of the night but, for a time it seemed only their breathing punctuated the air. Then she heard it. Another rustle. Biting her lip, Helen slowly stepped towards the bush, placing her lantern on the ground before sinking down beside it. Internally she cringed at what she was about to do but she knew she had no choice. _

"_Nikki," she crooned softly, leaning forwards to peer into the darkness. "Nikki I promise it's alright, just come out." The bush rustled once more and she held her breath until a pair of bright green eyes poked out from the shrubbery. _

"_Sit down," she murmured, turning her head ever so slightly to instruct the others. There was a pause before she heard three bodies slowly sink to the ground. Smiling, she turned back to the scared Raxacoricofallapatorius, shuffling forward slowly._

"_It's alright Nikki," she soothed, holding a hand out, wishing she'd had the foresight to bring some food while, at the same time, listening for any signs of laughter. _

_The name had come about accidentally, her father insisting on something easier to pronounce. They'd deliberated over it for a few days but finally, when she'd been part way through writing one of Nikola's letter, the Raxacoricofallapatorius on her lap they'd found a name it appeared to respond to. It had jumped up, making Helen spill her bottle of ink and she'd chastised it, telling the creature that Nikola wouldn't be happy at that. _

_The Raxacoricofallapatorius had looked up to her at the mention of her friends name, batting its eyelashes prettily and, while she refused to call it Nikola, she reacted in kind to Nikki and the name had stuck. _

"_Come on," she coaxed as it began to emerge from the bush. It paused for a second, regarding the group with what Helen could only term reluctance before it bounded into her lap, burrowing into her skirts as if the leather could shield it. Helen laughed softly at the creature's antics but tightened her arms around it, bring it up to rest against her chest. It squirmed a little, its muscular body settling in close before it began to hum, a high pitched little noise Helen had come to learn meant it was worried. _

"_Everything is fine," she whispered, stroking its coarse hair for a moment before she turned slowly, allowing the others to see that all was well. The Raxacoricofallapatorius mewled at that, snuggling closer but, after shushing it for a moment, it relaxed in her arms, looking around the enraptured group before looking back up to Helen in askance. _

"_They won't hurt you," she soothed. "I promise." It mewled again but settled and Helen slowly lowered her to her lap. "Nikola?" she asked, looking up beckon him closer. He looked taken aback before but did as she asked, shifting until their knees were almost touching. The Raxacoricofallapatorius's eyes widened and it shrunk back but, as Helen chuckled, it seemed to relax, sensing that it was not in danger. _

"_She's beautiful," Nikola whispered, almost reverently, reaching out with one shaking hand. He paused midway between them, looking to Helen in question but before she could respond, the creature sat up, bumping the top of its head against Nikola's hand. He started, withdrawing his hand quickly and startling the Raxacoricofallapatorius but, after reaching out with one slender, three toed paw to prod his knee, it sat up again, padding happily from Helen's lap straight into Nikola's. She chuckled at the action but Nikola spluttered, leaning back as if afraid. _

"_She's just curious," Helen soothed, reaching over to rub behind the huge ears standing straight up from its head. Nikola relaxed a little, reaching out cautiously to run his hand over its back. The Raxacoricofallapatorius closed its eyes, enjoying Nikola's caress for a moment before it launched up on its hind legs, pressing its front paws to his chest, regarding Nikola. For a moment, no one moved but then its small blue tongue appeared, licking Nikola's chin and Helen couldn't help but laugh. _

_The Raxacoricofallapatorius looked to her, confused at her reaction before licking Nikola's face one more time, making Nikola laugh too despite the aversion Helen knew he suffered to germs. At that, the creature pulled back, turning about to look at the others. _

_Without a second thought it left Nikola, heading towards James. It nuzzled his knee for a moment, enjoying his scratches behind the ear for a moment before twisting to look over at John. Slowly, cautiously, it padded towards him only to stop several feet away, hissing like mad for a moment but, before Helen could reach out to grab the creature, she stopped, sprinting back to Nikola's lap. Quickly it made itself comfortable, laying its head and paws on his knee, peering at John. It hissed softly once more before seating itself more firmly in Nikola's lap._

_With what Helen could only call a smug grin, Nikola petted the creature softly before smirking at her. Laughing softly, Helen shook her head before reaching out to pat the creature too. After a moment, John and James moved closer but the Raxacoricofallapatorius hissed at John. Helen tutted, tapping it on the top of the head. _

"_It's alright," Nikola drawled to the creature, fingers still running over its glossy coat. "John won't hurt you, he's only a lawyer."_

* * *

**So, a couple of people picked up on the fact that Helen's memory-sucker device bears a resemblance to the To'kra memory device so read into that what you will :P**

**xx**


	44. Mama

Time blurred for Helen, shifting and morphing into an indefinable mess of pain and emotion. Glaring fluorescents overhead bit at her retinas whenever she opened her eyes, the scratchy linen beneath her body leaving her skin prickling with distaste.

Sometimes she would wake to company, other times alone.

Sometimes they hit her. Not too hard, just hard enough that her sense of balance would be lost and she'd crash to the ground, her stomach heaving.

Sometimes they bought food with them.

Sometimes they bought water.

And sometimes they bought needles.

Those were the worst times. The needles meant pain and that she would see things. They seared at her brain, making her think of things even if she didn't want to. The needles meant questions too.

They asked all kinds of things, sometimes they were things she could answer, other times just a blur of words that hurt her ears.

Normally, when her ears hurt, they'd hit her.

The only good thing about the needles though, was that when they were done with the questions and the pain, she was allowed to sleep. And, sometimes, when she awoke afterwards, she'd be all alone.

Blessedly alone.

* * *

"_Oh please, Mama!" Helen begged, "You promised."_

"_I know, darling," she replied softly, patting Helen on the top of her head. "Perhaps another day, I'm not feeling the best."_

"_You said that yesterday too. And the day before. And the day before that."_

_Her mother made a pained face but Helen tried her best to ignore the twinge of guilt. Finally her governess had allowed her an entire week free of tedious studies and now her mother was unwilling to fulfil her promise. It was silly, she knew but she'd much rather learn the arts of 'ladylike behaviour', as it was often put to her, from her mother. _

_Helen adored her father more than she could ever explain but the moments she was granted with only her mother were just as delightful and, with the knowledge that her new sibling would likely require her mother's attention for years on end, she was determined to make the most of these coming weeks._

_More than that, she was more than frustrated at the weather. It had been raining for weeks on end it seemed and now, finally the sun had appeared. She could accept that perhaps they'd not spend the afternoon in the gardens but to sit and sew was unacceptable to Helen's mind._

_Trying to stifle a sigh, Helen spun about and dropped to the floor, her head resting on her mother's skirts. She shifted her own skirts until she could see her shoes, tapping the toes together. She heard her mother chuckle before a hand began to smooth down her curls. _

"_I'm sorry, my love," she whispered. _

"_It's alright," Helen said, trying her best not to let her disappointment show. "It's of no importance."_

"_Don't say that," her mother chastised. "Your education is of the utmost importance."_

"_Then why can I not go to Papa's work to learn?" she asked, twisting to look up over her mother's swollen belly. "He could teach me."_

_Her mother laughed softly, shaking her head and Helen almost rolled her eyes. It was only the memory of the chastisement she received last time that stopped her._

"_Wouldn't you rather learn to keep a home?" she questioned fondly and Helen pulled a face._

"_I try, I really do Mama but it... It's terribly boring."_

"_And what of your Papa's work is it that interests you?"_

_She could tell her mother was amused but Helen was adamant in her desire._

"_He helps people, every day he gets to help people and learn and... and... and see more of the world than I shall ever get to see."_

_For all she was only 8 and ¾ of a year old, Helen knew she would never be granted full access to the world of her father regardless of how much she might wish the opposite. It made no sense to her mind. She was capable and her tutors had all said she was remarkably advanced for her tender age, why shouldn't she learn the craft of her father?_

"_Well," her mother mused, holding a hand down to help Helen to her feet. "Perhaps one day you shall succeed in your mission to wear down everyone and be admitted for medical practice."_

_Helen couldn't help but smile at her mother's words._

"_Do you truly believe that?"_

"_I do," she said warmly. "Now help me stand."_

_Carefully Helen pulled her mother up, frowning as she swayed on her feet. She looked tired, her face paler and more drawn than normal. Even her eyes looked less alive than normal._

"_Would you like some more tea?" Helen asked, certain that it could help to cure whatever it was that was ailing her mother. "Or is it the baby again?"_

"_I'm fine," she assured Helen, patting her belly. "The baby is fast asleep, I'm simply a little tired myself."_

_Helen frowned again but her mother stood straight, shaking back her own golden locks. She'd often wished she had her mother's hair. It was far straighter than her own with none of the curls that enjoyed creating messy tangles._

"_Now come," her mother instructed, holding her hand out to Helen. "I shall teach you to walk like a woman. Perhaps we can find a way to mute that terrible lope you've inherited from your father."_

"_I do not lope," Helen cried, stepping back with her hands on her hips._

"_You do too, little miss," her mother said, tapping her nose. "I shall have to teach you to walk like a proper lady."_

"_But you can barely walk," Helen countered. "Your belly is so large..."_

"_I do apologise for carrying your little sister," she teased and Helen made a face._

"_Must it be a girl?" she asked. "I'd much rather a little brother."_

"_And why would that be? I always hoped that my mother would bring us more girls, never boys."_

"_But if it was to be a boy then he could learn from Papa and then teach me."_

"_By the time he was old enough to learn with your Papa, you will be married with children of your own," she said, taking Helen by the hand and leading her to an open stretch of the room. _

"_I do not want to marry."_

"_Not even when you're older?"_

"_Not ever," Helen said firmly._

"_Are you so quick to deny me grandchildren?" she asked, a small smile upon her lips._

_Helen sighed. _

"_Why must the two be married together?" she asked forlornly. Of course, she knew that to have a child out of wedlock was considered to be a great sin and the most certain way to ruin a reputation but she couldn't really see why. The entire concept was hazy and hidden from her which, of course, had made her curiosity burn. Her mother and father however, had told her very firmly to remove her mind from such pursuits._

"_Children need love," her mother said, her voice a little softer than normal. "The love of two parents who love one another. Would you have preferred to grow up without your Papa?"_

_Helen sighed once more. Her mother was too smart most days._

"_I suppose not."_

"_Alright, now stand straight. No more slouching."_

_Helen giggled as her mother grabbed her shoulders, pulling her up until she was almost on tip toes. _

"_Chin up," she continued. "You must pretend like you are the most regal, important being in the room whilst also being the most delightfully demure."_

_Again Helen giggled before swanning forward, head tilted back and her mother sighed heavily._

"_What ever will become of me?" she asked dramatically. "I've raised an ungraceful duckling rather than an elegant swan."_

"_I am not a bird," Helen said with a grin. "Or if I am, you are an elephant."_

_Her mother let out a shocked gasp and Helen giggled once more, dashing forward and wrapping her arms around her mother as best she could. Carefully she pressed a kiss to the baby she knew was growing. _

"_You are as bad as your father," her Mama said, her hand once more slipping into the curls atop Helen's head. "Whenever he knows he has incurred my wrath he weakens my resolve with kisses and hugs."_

_At that Helen pulled back and wrinkled her nose. She'd seen the way her parents kissed and it was most unsettling._

_She looked up just in time to see her mother's face crease into a grimace and her eyes widened. _

"_Mama?"_

"_I am fine, darling," she said, holding up a hand and shaking her head. "It shall pass. It always does."_

"_What passes?"_

"_The faint sensation," she replied, her voice barely audible. "It was the same when I carried you. I was sick for weeks at a time but no matter, show me your walk."_

_Rolling her eyes, Helen flounced away, readying herself. She'd barely taken one step forwards however when he gaze flicked back up to her mother's pale face._

"_Mama?"_

"_I... I am..."_

_It all seemed to happen so slowly, her body tumbling to the ground face first as Helen's cry of fear reverberated around the room. The crack of flesh on hardwood floors was more sickening than Helen could have imagined and in a second she was flinging herself forwards, landing beside her mother's body._

"_Mama!" she cried, tears already starting to form. "Mama, what is wrong?"_

_Crying, she shook her by the shoulders with all she had. It was her fault... Mama had been tired... She needed to rest, not play silly games._

"_Mama..."_

_She wasn't replying. She always replied._

_Crying even harder, Helen began to scream for all she was worth. She could hear the footsteps echoing from somewhere nearby but, between the hot tears streaming down her face and the guilt wrapping itself around her heart, she could focus on nothing but the way her Mama's skin felt feverish beneath her fingertips. She was hot, too hot. _

"_Oh, Mama..." she sobbed, clutching at the fabric pooled about her. "Mama, I'm so sorry."_

_She heard the shocked gasps, the wails from the maids and even a few quick commands to fetch doctors and such but she took in nothing more than the lifeless form of her Mama._

* * *

**This is an accompaniment to my story about Helen's parents and how they met, and one which I had been toying with for a while. I like to think it slots in with the other story well, even if it was a teeny bit heartbreaking to write.**

**Anyway, enjoy and sorry for the delay. Today there were many boxes to pack and not nearly enough down time.**

**xx**


	45. Party Pleasures

"It's not working," Imogene barked, letting her clipboard fall against the table with a resounding slap.

The mousy little doctor jumped at the sudden intrusion, blinking up at Imogene uncertainly.

"Wha-"

"The serum. She's not following the prompts. It's supposed to be easier than this."

"It's working," she replied hastily, turning to tap on the nearest keyboard before swivelling a screen towards Imogene. "See? It's working. Her levels are far beyond what we normally administered."

"Well, give her more." She frowned at the screen. "And check these readings. That cannot be right."

"We can't give her more, she'd... she'd..."

"She'd what?"

"She'd go insane!" the younger woman burst out emphatically.

Imogene raised an eyebrow.

"It'd pull out too many details, the human mind wouldn't come out the other side intact."

"She's not human."

"She's human enough. Please, just... just try again. Direct her thoughts more closely."

"What would you suggest then?"

Carla swallowed and straightened her back.

"Ask exactly what you want to know, word for word. No flouncing and make her look you in the eye. She has to really be forced to focus."

Imogene pursed her lips, looking up and over the monitors to where their captive lay shivering and barely conscious on her gurney. The images on the screen beside the window were of a bright party, faces whizzing by until one laughing face took centre stage. It was hazy though, barely distinct through her dreamlike state and the increased level of sedatives. In an hour she'd be ready for a fresh attempt.

Smiling, Imogene turned. She had time for a coffee first and yet another set of clothes.

* * *

"_Helen, be a dear," Rose said sweetly, holding out yet another slip of paper. Her eyes were dancing merrily as she reclined on the couch. She was the picture of opulence, dark brown curls barely held in place by combs that cost more than Helen's dress. She adored their new friend but tonight, she was a little less than pleased with her._

_Sighing heavily, Helen snatched the paper and stalked across the room. It wasn't that she was jealous of Rose, exactly. It was more than her stunning green gown and carefree attitude made Helen feel shabby uptight. She had always been the one who paid no attention to convention, she was always the one who got sniffed at because she was cavorting, unchaperoned with several young men. _

_It was odd to be regaled to the sidelines._

_Of course, she was overjoyed that Josep- Rose, had come tonight. For once she had a female friend who understood not only her line of work but didn't condemn her for the choices she had made. Yes, she always had a doting fiancé by her side but it really wasn't the same as female company. Plus, more than that, John was becoming more and more demanding of her time. It was almost frustrating to have to give up certain acquaintances to soothe him but she couldn't hold it against him. He'd given her more than she had ever expected AND understood her scientific passions. _

_It was still strange to think of herself as a fiancé. They'd been engaged for almost two full years now and really, aside from sharing a bed, surprisingly little had changed in her life. John had agreed to wait until her father returned before they married just as she had agreed to his request that he be allowed to establish his practice properly first. _

_In all honesty, being a fiancé suited Helen more than she ever thought being a wife would. It gave her freedom but marked her as taken, allowing for her to flit about social and scientific circles without fear of inappropriate behaviour. Mostly. _

You shall make the most fetching of brides_, a pleased little voice sing-songed. Helen shook her head at Rose's interruption of her thoughts. Ever since they'd realised Helen's sensitivity to these mental explorations, the other woman had been working at stealthier invasions. _

However I can think of far more alluring and intelligent grooms_._

_Helen glared over her shoulder at where Rose was laughing prettily at something Nigel had said. The man was well past drunk and lurching towards bosoms like a man in a desert. If he hadn't made a pass at her, Helen would have thought it rather funny._

_Rose's attention flicked for the briefest moment over to Helen, rolling her eyes before she went back to smiling at Nigel's rather bawdy sense of humour._

_A prickle of annoyance shot up Helen's spine and she set her shoulders, half marching across the ballroom. She'd been headed this way which was entirely why Rose had asked her deliver the note but she had half a mind to turn around and head back. _

_Rose, for all the entertainment and wonder she was able to provide, was a pain and a half._

_Quickly, Helen flicked open the note in her hand, sighing as she realised, once again, they were writing in Serbian. For all Nikola had worked to teach her, it was still a language she struggled with. Looking closely, she studied each word, searching her brain for any word she could recognise. _

_Ha! One word!_

_Јелена._

_Again Helen frowned. That was her name. She scanned the note three more times before coming to the conclusion that none of the other words were familiar to her. Curse Rose, she thought bitterly. The woman had only been with them a month and already she'd mastered a language Helen had for so long struggled with. Plus she and Nikola had become fast friends and, Helen occasionally suspected, possibly more. _

_A fresh bolt of rage surged through her and Helen screwed up the note in her fist. Striding across the room, she all but glared at Nikola who seemed a little taken aback at her reaction. He blinked uncertainly at her, shuffling forwards as she continued her approach. _

"_Helen?" he asked softly, reaching an arm out to her but Helen shrugged him off, thrusting the note at his chest. He captured her hand before she could pull away and used the contact to drag her closer. _

"_Stop using me as a messenger," she half growled, not fighting his grip as fervently as she should. _

"_You were coming over here to find John anyway," he tried soothingly._

_Glaring up at Nikola, she pulled away hastily, letting the note fall to the floor before sweeping around and storming towards where John and James were happily chatting away. James noted her approach but didn't speak or lose his distinctly amused air even as she fell ungraciously into the space beside John._

"_Is something the matter?" he fiancé asked and she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. John, for all his sweetness could be painful oblivious at times. _

"_I feel like a carrier pigeon," she said with a sigh, leaning against John's shoulder. They may have been in public but she was so frustrated that not even the fear of potential investors seeing her pout could stop her from taking some liberties with her fiancé. _

"_You are far more beautiful," John said warmly, looking down at her with twinkling eyes and she felt another prickle of irritation at him. She didn't want to be called beautiful right now, she wanted to moan and complain and whine about the way Nikola and Rose had been using and abusing her all evening. She wanted to growl about the fact that she'd never had an excuse to turn down their entreaties because John and James had holed themselves up over here._

"_I think I'll go for a walk," she said, standing up quickly. John stood with her, an arm around her waist lightly. _

"_What is it?" he asked again softly. _

_Helen smiled up at him, finally feeling at ease thanks to his presence._

"_It is nothing," she assured him. John frowned but released her. _

"_Come back to me soon," he told her, stroking one cheek gently and she shivered. He smiled down at her before darting in to press a soft kiss to her lips. Helen gasped at his forwardness but didn't pull away, swaying into his chest. _

_Only when James' chuckle broke into her reverie did she remember where they were and pull away, blushing. _

"_I'll be back shortly," she said, clearing her throat and walking away on unsteady legs. It wouldn't do to dwell on the look of victory in John's eye, it would only lead to her turning and waltzing straight back to him which wouldn't do considering the very private nature of what she wished him to do. _

_Instead she made her way outside, breathing in the cool night air. The moon was high in the sky, casting a bright light over the wide porch she stood on. It wrapped around the entire house, scattered with chairs and tables that, on a summer evening, Helen might be tempted to sit in. As it was, she was already starting to feel the cold seeping through her pale pink lace dress. It was a beautiful garment but not one for this temperate, she decided, wrapping her arms around her torso. _

_It was then she heard a noise, a soft scuffle followed by a giggle and a half hearted attempt at shushing the giggler. Turning her head, Helen let loose a little gasp as she noticed a nearby couple, locked in an amorous embrace. _

_The soft sound of kisses filled the air for a moment before the couple pulled apart slightly and, based on their shadows, turned to look at her._

"_Helen?" Nikola's voice came, filled with incredulity. _

"_Oh God," Helen half moaned, turning on her heel with the intent of dashing away but before she could take more than two steps, a hand closed around her wrist._

"_I'm sorry," Nikola said hurriedly, tugging her towards him but she refused to give up her retreat._

"_Let her go, Nikki," came Rose's voice. _

"_No," he said rather fiercely, pulling even more firmly on her arm._

"_She's right," Helen spat, glaring at her old friend again. Nikola shook his head, his expression unreadable as he tugged and pulled at Helen until they disappeared around the corner. _

_When finally he released her, Helen had to physically restrain herself from hitting him. If only she had her gun..._

"_Now say it," he told her gruffly, voice darker than she'd ever heard. "Say what it is that's got you acting like this."_

"_I... I don't know what you mean," she told him curtly. _

"_Helen..."_

"_Oh leave me be, Nikola," she said angrily. "Go back to your little 'friend' and ruck up her skirts."_

_She made to turn but he grabbed her again, turning them until she was pressed against the wall. She tried to fight his grip but he was too strong, his inhuman grip almost bruising._

"_So this is about Rosie?" he asked angrily, eyes flashing._

"_It has nothing to do with Rosie," Helen sneered. _

"_I have to watch you and John cavorting about, playing the happy couple," he said and she froze. Silence fell as she tried to process the hidden meaning in his statement. _

"_I like her, Helen," he said softly after a beat. "Not as much as I like you but... She understands me."_

_Helen sagged in his grip._

"_Can you not give me this?"_

_And then suddenly she was kissing him. He didn't start it, he wasn't the one to close the distance between them but he didn't pull back. His grip turned on her arms from restraining to pulling her closer, one arm slipping around her waist as the other cradled her cheek. Helen's hands, however, fisted in his jacket, holding him in place._

_It was just like back when they first became friends, the desperate need she'd often felt to kiss him or to be kissed by him. They'd experimented with each other, caressing and kissing in dark corners until they were both breathless. He was her best friend back then, he was the one who gave her this chance. He was the one who had stopped them the few times they'd taken it too far. She could still remember the feel of his hands on her thighs, the way his hands had trembled as she urged him on, the way he'd pant against her neck. _

_Suddenly he pulled back, gasping for breath. He stumbled back a few steps and Helen fell against the wall. _

"_I... I..." he tried._

_Helen cleared her throat._

"_Don't be sorry," she told him softly. Suddenly all her anger was gone, most of the resentment with it. She reached out and cupped his cheek. "Don't be sorry."_

_He nodded, wide eyed and she smiled, stepping back and heading back towards the party._

_It was foolish and vain and horribly immature but she smiled._

_He still wanted her._

* * *

**Mrrrrgh. Just realised I put things up in the wrong order. Poo. But I read over it all and it seems to flow well enough. I hope.**

**xx**


	46. Accounting For The Facts

It must have been years, Helen's mind supplied as she crouched in the corner once more. All she could hear beyond the sound of her own laboured breath was the dull voices of those standing by the locked door. They were calm, professional. Apparently years of torturing Helen into submission had no effect on their conscious.

Probably because they didn't have one, she seethed silently.

But today was going to be different, she decided. She was going to get out. She couldn't recall if she'd ever tried to do so before but today was going to be different, it had to be.

Slowly, the blonde woman turned, walking calmly until she stood directly before Helen.

"Tell me about Source Blood," she said, drawing out the words as she glared down at Helen. The woman's eyes were burning with something positively dangerous and Helen almost recoiled.

"Tell me about what you did with the pure sample of Sanguine Vampiris blood back in the late 1800's."

Helen half growled, baring her teeth as a sudden wave of nausea shuddered through her again. Her brain felt like it was on fire, suddenly the dull throb rising to unimaginable levels.

As Helen blacked out, the last thing she saw was the smug smile of satisfaction on her captors face.

* * *

_**Helen**__  
I am not ashamed to say that it hurt._

_**James**__  
My heart was in my throat as I watched but, no matter how hard I tried, I could not make myself go to her to help. Not even the thought of what Gregory would do to me if I allowed her to die like this could get me to move. Much like when she was settling herself, I was transfixed. It felt as if the entire room was holding its breath. And, to an extent, I assume we probably all were. She was out leader, our fearless and often reckless leader and we couldn't help but love her for it. To watch her like this, though, was unavoidable. Helen had always had the ability to make those around her stare without so much as blinking. It was just her way._

_**John**__  
I didn't breath until she managed to look me in the eye. In fact, even then, I was not entirely sure if we were out of the woods. After all, what we were doing had no precedent. We had not practice the method and there had been no discussion of what was to happen afterwards. How were we to take care of her? How were we to know what was a sign of good and what meant we ought to send for a carriage to take her to a hospital? We had no plan and, I think, no idea of what we were to unleash._

_**Nikola**__  
My heart was beating a mile a minute. To be honest, I don't quite understand that turn of phrase but, being one I'd heard from Helen on occasion, I thought it to be fitting. But yes, either way, my heart rate was elevated, probably to dangerous levels. I think it was a even mix of fear and elation. Mostly elation, of course. And I could see the same mix in Helen. Her grip on my hand was tight and I could tell she would have been trembling otherwise. I liked to think that it meant she needed me more than the others though I didn't let myself dwell on the idea. After all, there were more important things to worry about. For example, how long Helen would make us wait for our turns._

_**Nigel**__  
She was bonkers. Actually cracked. Probably a genius too, I was smart enough to realise that but... God. I don't know why it took me so long to realise it, considering some of the things she'd suggested over time but it sort of hit me, I suppose. But the even stranger thing was, I loved it. It was Helen's way, I guess. She made things that rational people would consider foolish seem like the most natural thing in the world to do. Just watching her as she processed what had happened to her, made me eager to continue, to take my place where she now sat. This plunge was one that I again wanted to take, regardless of the fact that we had no idea what was actually happening to her._

_**Helen**__  
By the time the cold passed, I remembered to breathe once more. I knew my hand was clutching a little too tightly to Nikola's but, from the look in his eye, I could tell he understood why I subconsciously anchored myself to a piece of reality. In many ways, it was a half magical experience, if not slightly... unpleasant. Not that I had experienced any serious discomfort. The best comparison I could manage is that it felt as if I was in a blizzard, with nothing more than a cotton slip to protect me though it lasted for barely a second. For such a short period of time, it felt rather monumental. It was as if the world changed in that fleeting moment and my eyes were closed as it happened. Something intangible and beautiful had happened to me, around me, and I had just about missed the moment itself._

_**Nigel**__  
I was not surprised when I half had to fight Nikola for the next go. _

_**Helen**__  
I should have known poor Nigel never stood a chance against Nikola's enthusiasm_

_**James**__  
I knew the other two would want to just jump straight in, without stepping back to watch Helen for any signs of danger. And I knew Helen would support their want wholeheartedly. After all, where there was trouble to be had, Helen was not far behind._

_**John**__  
To my mind, it was too late for all of them now. I didn't really care whether Tesla and Griffin went through with it at that point. All I could focus on was Helen._

_**James**__  
After Helen, the act seemed to lose its sense of importance somewhat. Well, almost. I still feared for the others, there was no change in that._

_**Nikola**__  
To be honest, I barely felt the prick. It was after that was of particular note, even if it lasted only a few moments. _

_**Nigel**__  
Watching Tesla made me anxious all over again but, as Helen ushered my into the seat and readied the final syringe, I took comfort in her... normalcy. Not that Helen is ever particularly normal, but she didn't seem any worse for wear. In fact, there was a glow about her that I guessed came from the residual excitement. A less intelligent man would have said she was in love with a man but I knew it was the work that had her heart._

_**Nikola  
**__I think we were all a little unsure of what to do once it was all finished with._

* * *

**And our week is done! Tomorrow I'll post again but then things might slow down a bit so I can work on some other stories...**

**xx**


	47. 604,800 Seconds Later

To say it had been a tense week was the most enormous understatement of the century. Most of the Sanctuary had been startlingly subdued. Not even the most rowdy and dangerous of residents had caused a fuss. Instead everyone, residents and workers alike lived in some kind of limbo in which no one spoke.

Things worked as per usual, feedings occurred, bills were paid and, much to everyone's relief, the power fluctuations stopped though Henry still harboured a distinct feeling that it wasn't because of his work, instead this mysterious 'Order of Maat' had simply ceased the program now that they had what they wanted. Rose and, surprisingly enough Tesla had assured him time and time again that the programming error was gone but even having Erika tell him the same thing had no effect on his state of mind.

It had come out on day two that Rose knew where Helen was being held, much to everyone's dismay but not even Tesla had been able to draw the location from her. Henry hadn't been privy to the meeting at which the information had come out but by all accounts it had been an explosive one. The fact that he'd been forced to order a new conference table for that room told him all he needed to know.

Revelations aside, it had been an uneventful week in comparison to others but Henry hadn't been able to shake the overwhelming feeling of foreboding or the loneliness that had taken up residence in his heart. Magnus was his Mom in a lot of ways, the woman who had raised him since before he could remember and the woman who had given him every opportunity in life. She'd paid for college courses and textbooks and numerous computer systems for him over the years and she was, to his mind, the grandmother of his child.

He knew he wasn't the only one cut up about her disappearance but often he felt as if he couldn't voice it. He hadn't known her as long as Tesla or Druitt or Rose, he wasn't the protégé like Will and his experiences with her seemed to pale in comparison to those of many others.

But he loved her. More than he could ever really explain, he loved her and it was because of that love that, for an entire week, he'd had a grand total of 12 hours sleep. There wasn't much he could do, those in charge of planning the actual security surrounding the event really did have it covered but he spent every second he had cleaning and fixing and double checking every weapon they might ever need. He ran programs searching for The Order of Ma'at in any of Magnus' files and, when that failed, he grabbed Gregory's notes and read each and every page for something that might give them a clue.

When that too turned up no results, he started looking for abnormals that had powers similar to Druitt, testing theory after theory of how they'd teleported in, grabbed the boss and gotten out again in less than 3.96 seconds. While it didn't help get her back, he managed to safe guard their systems against any further attacks to the best of his ability. There really was no way to test whether or not his actions were effective until another attack came but he had so many fail-safes and back-ups in place he astounded even Erika.

Erika.

She had been something of a rock for him through all this. She kept his spirits up when the sadness got too much and reminded him to stop and breathe and eat from time to time. Henry had been loathe to abandon her like this during what really was an exciting time in their relationship but the idea of bringing a baby into the world when it didn't have Helen Magnus to look out for it seemed downright stupid.

Thankfully, this was something Erika seemed to understand and, not once had she complained. Smiling, Henry looked over to the frame sitting on one side of his desk. It was of a picnic they'd held about two weeks after they'd all successfully moved down to the new Sanctuary. He and Erika were in the foreground, laughing and smiling as they hugged but, next to them on the mat sat Magnus, Will and Tesla. Will was shaking his head at something while Tesla was displaying one of his face splitting grins but it was Magnus' joy that Henry most loved about the additions to the picture. Her head was thrown back, face creased in laugher with an overflowing glass of wine in her hand.

It was one of the most relaxed, carefree pictures he had of his surrogate mother and, in a lot of ways, his favourite too.

"That was a good day," a voice said, startling Henry. He turned quickly in his seat, startled to find Tesla standing behind him, hands in pockets as he regarded the photo. Over the past few days the normally reclusive vampire had withdrawn even further, only appearing when his presence was absolutely necessary. While Will had termed this a 'welcome break', Henry found it all too telling. If the vampire was this withdrawn, it could only mean he didn't like their chances any better than Henry did which, to be honest, was on the wrong side of terrifying.

"I took her for a picnic once," Tesla continued absently. "We went to Sandford for the day. It was beautiful until the end when it rained." His lips quirked into a ghost of a smile. "I stained her dress with cherries and then she fell asleep in the carriage back to Oxford."

Henry watched as Tesla stepped forward slowly, picking up the frame.

"I made fun of her for not being British enough. But I wasn't lying, she did taste of tea."

Henry could sense this half conversation heading into a territory he was not even a little bit comfortable with but he didn't have the heart to stop it. Tesla let out a soft little chuckle and his smile widened.

"It took me weeks to think it all up and coax the food out of the kitchens," he continued. "I remember the look on her face when I picked her up, she was..." Tesla took a deep breath "...enthralled."

Carefully and still supporting that wistful smile, Tesla put the frame back down gently before turning to Henry. There was a beat before he processed what had just happened but, when he did, Tesla's face almost flushed. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, eyes sliding away from Henry's quickly.

In an instant, Henry swore he'd never, ever again mention this very second if only so he didn't have to see this level of discomfort in the vampire. Normally he loved watching the genius squirm but somehow this was different, way more personal and way more... Well, Tesla seemed way too human for Henry's liking.

"They want you down in the video conference room," Tesla snapped suddenly. "We're just about ready."

Henry nodded mutely and slid from his chair, collecting his folders before scurrying after Tesla whose long strides seemed to swallow up the corridors.

The moved in sync but in silence, only their footsteps echoing about the place. Even when Tesla punched in the code for the transport pod, Henry didn't trust himself to try and speak. They were avoiding eye contact it seemed and, based on the way Tesla was half pressing himself into the corner, any attempts at conversation probably wouldn't go down well.

So Henry bit his tongue, holding in the odd questions that kept popping up. Like where Sandford was and whether they'd been back since and whether Tesla was coping all right. In reality, he knew the answer to the last one. None of them were coping, this state of limbo had them all tied in knots and the vampire was no exception.

By the time they arrived at the conference room however, some of the tension had disappeared and Henry was left feeling much more at ease with his companion. They were never going to be best of friends but, at the very least, they had some truly common ground. Henry's feelings for Magnus may have run in a very different direction to those Tesla held but he was starting to suspect they ran just as deep.

It was strange to think that this man, this insufferable man, as Magnus liked to call him, was actually capable of genuine emotion though Henry knew he'd have had to be blind to miss the way the other man had changed. In the time that they'd known him, he'd... softened. It was the only word Henry could think to use to describe it. Tesla was... softer. He was like a kitten that had been housetrained to love his owners just enough that he no longer hissed after them, instead just swanning about as if he owned the place. He was still insufferable, still a pain in the ass but he seemed to have learnt how to play with others a little better.

"We'll find her," Henry said softly and Tesla stopped in his tracks. Henry merely walked past him. It wasn't a discussion or a hope, it was going to be fact. It had to be.

* * *

Sighing heavily, Will shifted uncomfortably in his chair. The day had been a long one and it was barely 9am but, more than that, it had been a long week. His head hadn't stopped pounding for seven whole days and, to top it off, Abby had barely spoken to him which left him high and dry in terms of support. He supposed he probably could have turned to Rose but his conscious just wouldn't let him. Plus she was freaking out, it wasn't as if she could be the cool and rational head to his own brand of stressed out anxiety.

Henry had been totally absorbed all week too and none of the other Head's wanted to talk with him. Declan was the only one he felt was actually on his side and he was stretched thin enough as it was. Even though Will was the one officially in charge, Declan had subsumed at least half of the work load without complaint which, while still leaving Will with more than enough to occupy every waking minute for the next century, made Will guilty at the thought of tearing him away just to have a bit of a chat.

He had tried to talk to Kate but she'd been sullen and distant and, soon enough, had begged off and returned to Hollow Earth. She was back now but for most of the week she'd communicated via video calls and hurried emails only. Honestly, he didn't blame her either though.

It was all too much to handle, for any of them. Even Druitt was struggling and not in the way Will had expected. The man hadn't been violent or angry, in fact he'd pretty much holed himself away much like everyone else. He'd been at meetings and contributed rather sedately but Will never saw him in the communal kitchen when meals were served nor did he haunt the libraries Will had taken to hiding in. In fact, the man was a veritable ghost.

Now though, he was lounging in the corner silently but for once without that almost eerie quality he managed to radiate. Just like Tesla, he was a broken man.

But Tesla at least still seemed to hold hope. Or, he was willing to act on what little hope they had. He was like a possessed man at times, willing to try anything to get Helen back but other days he had been listless and unhelpful in the extreme.

And, as if on cue, the doors to the room sprang open to reveal both Henry and Tesla, both of whom wore rather queasy expressions. Rose and Kate both looked up at the intrusion from where they sat by Magnus' desk. Rose flashed them both a small smile but Kate's was more welcoming.

"Hey Hank," she said softly, waving towards him.

He smiled gratefully and moved across the room to her. Rose stood seamlessly, shifting to allow Henry to take her seat as she moved across the room to Tesla's side. Heads bowed, they began to talk quietly, moving to the side of the room.

Will watched as Tesla's face darkened in what he guessed was anger as Rose laid her hand on his arm. He tried to shake her off but Rose grabbed him and, with a dark look, seemed to silence the vamp. Or at least he seemed to submit to whatever it was they were arguing about.

Suddenly Tesla's head snapped up and his eyes locked on Will's. The scowl he received would have been enough to break a lesser man but Will just rolled his eyes.

"Can we get started already?" he asked, turning towards the nearest keyboard.

"Whenever you're ready," Rose said, sounding too chipper. She'd been like that all week, smiling and skipping about as if her enthusiasm could make up for everyone else's melancholy mood. She was the only one who ever left a meeting with a smile but, despite the slightly grotesque happiness she was displaying, Will had started to see just how much of a front it was. There were moments when she'd sort of collapse in on herself and the smile would falter. It never lasted very long but Will caught it and, in a lot of ways, he found it a relief. The fact that she was cracking meant that she was just as human as the rest of them. Sort of.

He did like the fake show of strength though, it was nice that at least someone could pretend to bear the load.

The others quickly gathered around Will, Henry clutching a folder to his chest as if it were a lifeline. Tesla and Rose seemed grimly determined while Kate looked a little queasy.

Oh yes, this was going to be an interesting conference call for sure.

* * *

**Magical prize of magic for anyone who can figure out what the title is referring to :P And by that, I mean, you can order me to write a chapter of something, if you'd like. So not really magic.**

**xx**


	48. Captive XVII

Helen clawed pitifully at the polished woman standing before her. Her perfume made Helen's stomach roll.

"Get up."

Helen moaned, curling in on herself further. She didn't want more needles now. She couldn't take it.

"I said, get up."

A cold hand wrapped around Helen's arm, dragging at her until she uncurled slightly.

"Carla, get me some help," the woman screeched back over her shoulder. "We don't have all day."

Narrowed eyes regarded Helen cautiously.

"I will get what I need from you," the woman said, her tone frank. "After tonight, I have a special treat planned. It won't be pleasant but I'll get the details surrounding what is left of the source blood and, really, it's for the greater good."

She paused and Helen held her breath.

"That's what you're all about, isn't it, Helen?" she continued, stepping closer. "You are a tough nut to crack though." She sighed. "I do so love a challenge."

Helen shrunk back from the woman as much as she could. She knew pain was coming. Pain and needles.

"Really, you're just making this harder on yourself," the woman said, cocking her head. "If you hadn't fought so hard... Never mind. Now we get to play dress-up. And then we'll get you some friends, Helen. Would you like that?"

Helen started to shiver, her vision blurring.

"We'll add to our collection," she murmured, lips curling into a soft smile.


	49. Captive XVIII

Sitting in the back seat of the dark limo, Helen let her head loll against the window. Not that she had much of a choice. She could barely hold herself up. It must have been weeks since they'd fed her and it was starting to take its toll.

Lights flashed by, fracturing in the droplets of water on the window. There were buildings too, she noted absently. Big ones. They were pretty. Some of them even reminded her of home.

And then she saw it. Her mind only just registered the significance of the burned out lot but once everything pieced together inside her brain, the debris that still seemed to smoke seared itself into her mind.

That was her home.

She was going home.

And, she thought, wincing as a needle pierced her upper arm, she would soon be safe.

* * *

**Last 'Captive' chapter! Not that that means Helen is any closer to safety :P**

**xx**


	50. Making a Scene

**This will be my last update for a little while. Tomorrow is moving day and probably no internet on my laptop for a week or so but I promise there will be an update as soon as the new house is internet-ed! Also, I apologise for the line breaks in this chapter, flashbacks are fun to write, less fun to publish.**

**And Happy 50th Chapter :D**

**Enjoy!**

**xx**

* * *

"Stop fidgeting," Rose snapped, glaring at Henry before adjusting her black silk dress.

* * *

"_We'll attack it in groups with a small clutch of us at the front."_

"_Are you sure it's a good idea to put all our best fighters together?" _

"_They're going to know that we've got security teams around anyway, maybe Kate's right."_

"_They wanted us to come," Rose said firmly. "So we'll come. We'll dress up and play nice and we'll get Helen back."_

"_But-"_

"_If two of us show up, they'll never even show their faces. We have to give them a prize worth risking it all for."_

"_You make us sound like cattle."_

"_To the slaughter," Rose confirmed. "Very much so, John."_

* * *

"I hate this damn suit," Henry muttered, looking down at his shiny shoes.

"Trust me, the dress is no better," Kate grumbled, fiddling with the sapphire blue gossamer that floated down in clouds from her waist.

"Both of you shut it," Declan growled. "It's hard enough to hear the teams report without your complaints."

* * *

"_Station at least four teams around the complex. And one more at the old Sanctuary site, just in case."_

"_Weapons?" Declan asked, raising an eyebrow. _

"_Guns," Rose said, "lots of big guns."_

"_And perhaps something to take down abnormals," Abby put in tentatively. "In case we come across something... unkillable."_

"_I can get a strike team ready from Hollow Earth," Kate offered. "Something with a bit more of an edge. I know a few clans that would be more than willing to help."_

"_Good idea, Kate," Rose said kindly. "You too, Abigail."_

* * *

"Tesla, you're late," Will said darkly, glaring at the other man as he came strolling into the room. Nikola, however ignored the taunt, his face the picture of grim determination.

"You look lovely, dear," he said somewhat sarcastically to Rose who was brushing back a loose curl absently, brow furrowed.

"You too," she muttered.

"Where's Druitt?" Kate asked.

"Parking the car," Nikola said nonchalantly, which, of course, was bull considering they'd all been transported there with the aid of John's abilities. Nikola adjusted Rose's gauzy shawl, pulling it up around her shoulders before he continued. "Something about wanting to perfect his parallel park."

* * *

"_We need a code."_

"_Don't be so juvenile."_

"_It's not juvenile! What if they're listening in on us?"_

_At least three scoffs sounded, mostly from the monitors on the wall._

"_Considering the technology they seem to possess, what's to say they can't just read our minds?"_

"_I still think we need a code," Henry said, shaking his head. "Nothing big, just... a way to make sure everyone and everything is running smoothly."_

* * *

"I do wish John would hurry," Rose said smoothly, sounding sweetly distressed. "It's so cold and I can't bear to think of missing the speeches."

"Tonight is such a special occasion," Nikola agreed.

"I wonder if they'll have tea inside," John cut in as he approached, bending to press a kiss to Rose's cheek before bowing politely to Kate. "Shall we go in?"

* * *

"_Once we're in, we stick together. They'll find us, I've no doubt we'll need to even try and find them."_

"_Won't you be able to track them down though? You know, with the whole mindreading thing?" Abby asked, stepping forward. _

"_We can't assume that it will work. Theoretically yes, I'll be able to find Helen and whoever is holding her captive but given the talents they've already displayed..."_

"_They'll have to move her though, yes? Maybe there will be a second..."_

"_It's very likely that there will be a second, Abby. But it doesn't do us any good to think on it. We have a plan, we stick to it." Rose frowned._

"_I still think it's a dangerous plan," Will cut in. _

"_Get in, grab the girl, get out. What could be simpler?"_

"_I think Magnus would object to being called a 'girl'."_

* * *

"Aren't the stars lovely?" Declan said as they approached the bustling steps that led to the grand building. "We haven't had a night this clear in ages."

See: visibility is good.

"Can you name any constellations?" John asked with a curious glance at the other man.

See: is she there?

"Not really, I mean, we learnt them at school but you know me and books..."

See: no sighting of Magnus yet.

"I'm sure with practice you'll improve," Rose said with a smile. "Perhaps I can show you sometime?"

See: check again.

"You and your superior intellect," Declan teased, shaking his head.

See: what do you know?

"Book learning was my specialty," Rose replied with a smile. "It's not my fault you and words don't always get along.

See: not enough to share yet.

* * *

"_And once we're in and have been approached, how do we get Helen back?"_

"_We listen to them. There's something they want and they'll tell us exactly what it is."_

"_But what if it's you guys? What if they want a complete set? Or worse, what if this is all just a trap? It's too-"_

"_Will, what choice do we have?"_

"_We're walking into a trap!"_

"_And?"_

"_It's just... Can we really out play the players?"_

"_Maybe. Hopefully. If not, we'll go down fighting. Our focus will be finding Helen, everything else is secondary at this stage."_

"_Bu-"_

"_They won't want a public scene, it's why they invited us to the damn party in the first place. This way, neither of us can use proper weapons. It's a mind game."_

"_So then how do we find Helen?"_

"_We don't. We let her find her way to us."_

* * *

"Declan!"

"Oh, Sarah," Declan said uncomfortably to the aging woman hobbling towards their little group.

"Oh, and poor William too. It's wonderful to see you both again, I was distraught after what happened."

The two boys shared an uncomfortable look before their eyes darted to Rose.

"This is Sarah Jameson," Will said by way of introduction. "She was one of our biggest backers in the past few years."

"Lovely to meet you," Rose said smoothly.

"You too, dear. Would you mind if I steal your boys for just a moment? I've got a few people who are just dying to meet them."

Rose cocked her head and smiled.

"Certainly, we'll catch up with you later."

See: no resin in the walls.

* * *

"_So once we find her and come up with a brilliant plan on the spot to get her away from them, how do we get out?" Will asked, crossing his arms._

_The room fell silent._

"_This is what I'm saying about gaps in the plan," he muttered shaking his head._

"_How do you expect us to plan for it?" Rose asked softly, voice dangerously low. "How are we supposed to make sense of all this? We don't know what we'll be facing Will, we haven't a damn clue!"_

"_So then why are we doing it?" he half yelled back._

"_Because we have no choice!"_

_Again silence fell for a long moment. _

"_She's right, we have to get Helen back." _

"_They're torturing her, Will. I saw it, I saw what they're doing to her. She's nothing more than a valuable asset to them, one they can continue to pick apart until there is nothing left of value for them. And they will, they'll keep her and use her without regard to the woman beneath it all. Which will leave nothing left to rescue."_

* * *

"Care for a dance?" Nikola asked, offering a hand to Rose as she sipped a glass of champagne. "We can't let that ravish dress go to waste."

She smiled and accepted his hand, offering her glass to Kate.

The two glided across the ballroom, taking a place in the middle of the floor before beginning to twirl around elegantly to the classical music.

"Show off," Henry muttered, shaking his head and Druitt smiled slightly.

"They always used to love showing us up on the dance floor. No one can move like Rosie."

The genuine fondness in his tone made the others take a little step back, Kate even cocking her head as she regarded him.

"Helen always said there wasn't a creature alive who understood music like Rose does. Look, even now she's leading Tesla around."

Kate and Henry shared a look, now understanding.

* * *

"_Make sure you talk of Helen freely. Choke up if you want but don't skirt around the issue."_

"_Why?" Henry asked._

"_Because this is a public event as well. We have to keep up appearances which means pretending like she really is dead."_

"_I still don't ge-"_

"_Because it makes us a target, Blondie," Tesla half snarled. "For both sympathy and a questioning gaze or two. If all eyes are on us, they can't snatch away any of our number. We have to make a scene."_

"_Do you think they would?"_

"_I don't know what to think."_

* * *

"Rose says Declan says the security teams have seen nothing," John breathed against Kate's ear as he mimed brushing a kiss to her cheek before taking her hand. "Dance with me?"

She grimaced at him but allowed herself to be led out onto the floor. Druitt, it seemed was an accomplished dancer and twirled her about with ease.

"You're dress is quite lovely," he said, apparently being sincere. "The colour is quite vivid."

"Rose told me to wear it," she admitted.

* * *

"_Boys, go dig out your best tux. Kate, there's a dress in the cupboard for you."_

"_A dress?"_

"_It's a ball, what else would you wear?"_

"_But a dress?"_

"_Yes a dress. It's blue, you'll look stunning, trust me."_

"_Well what are you wearing?"_

"_A dress. One that shall be far harder to fight in than yours."_

"_Do you really think it'll come to that?"_

"_Let's just say I'm wearing black for a reason."_

"_Uh, what's that?"_

_There was a pause._

"_Because black won't show the blood."_

* * *

"William looks uncomfortable," John said, looking over Kate's head.

"Probably because he can't stand that dirty old woman. She's always feeling him up."

"And Helen let that happen?"

"I always got the impression that she thought it was kinda cute."

"This looks like something else though. The Brit is talking into his wrist again."

"What? Let me see!"

He spun them neatly, giving Kate a clear view of their dark expressions.

"Something's up."

"Don't jump to conclusions. I'm sure Rose will let us know if anything happens."

* * *

"_So what do we do once we finally find Magnus? How will you let us all know?"_

"_Oh, you'll know, Will. I promise you that."_

* * *

Suddenly the music stopped, a soft shriek sounding as all the dancing couples halted, turning to face something at the centre of the room. Kate and John pushed their way through the crowd until they reached the cause of the commotion.

It was Rose, slumped elegantly in Nikola's arms.

"A little help?" the vampire asked uneasily, shifting her limp body in his arms.


	51. Paging Rose

They were all just starting to get back to talking when it happened. Kate was complaining about the crappy champagne she hadn't had enough of to justify the fancy knickers she had to wear. John was still sulking in the corner like the villain Rose had always known him to be. Hell, he even smiled like a damn villain. Were people ever _really_ surprised when he turned out to be the baddie?

Will was being all silent and moody again too, his face creased with what Rose suspected was meant to be an interpretation of constipated or uncertain. It was a close call between the two. Henry was by his side, almost green as he rocked back and forth ever so slightly. His face was the absolute picture of confusion, something Rose couldn't blame him for. In fact, all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and hold him close. He was too sweet to have to be in a situation like this, too young, too... too precious in so many ways. He was gifted beyond measure, his mind more complex yet more simple than anything Rose had ever come across. She envied him that in some ways.

Declan was pacing slightly behind them, his mind racing through a thousand different battles and confrontations as if it could prepare him for what was ahead. He was the best at hiding his discomfort with the situation but inside he was falling apart. Taking a deep breath, Rose reached out to him and tried her very best to ease his frustrations. It worked to an extent and he stilled, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. His eyes flicked over to hers and he smiled in silent thanks, more than a little familiar with her abilities.

And then there was Nikola. He stood by one large bay window, all tortured and beautiful. So much so that it made Rose's heart hurt. He didn't deserve this, after everything he'd been through, he didn't deserve this. In some ways, he was even simpler than Henry. He'd been through enough to cloud his thought process, to mask whatever tenderness he still had left but there was something so fragile about Nikola Tesla; the indestructible vampire. In all honesty, it was why Rose had been so attracted to him from the beginning. He was like this tiny snowflake; delicate, unique and utterly precious to her.

Even at the height of his ego, Nikola still had this soft streak that could be more tender and more caring than anything she had ever known. More than once, his actions had almost brought her to tears. And there was something about the way he censored himself, even in thought. Only in his mind could he truly express his feelings and yet he didn't. Nikola was always holding himself back, always trying to hide how he truly felt. It made the moments when he was truly honest and open all that more special.

What Rose could never understand was that no one else could see the truth of Nikola. Of course, on the surface he was an egotistical, slightly unstable idiot but it took no more than a little common sense to see past that. Even Helen, who had known him longer than anyone couldn't see it and it frustrated Rose beyond belief. How the hell was Helen supposed to fall in love with him if she didn't use her eyes properly?

Of course, things had slowly, slowly been changing over the last few years. Helen saw more and discounted less but it wasn't enough. Logically, Rose knew that both of them were too damaged to let themselves actually believe what they only occasionally suspected was true but she wanted them to. So much. Watching them skirt around one another was hard, harder than giving up Helen, harder still than giving up Nikola. And it made her want to be selfish, to take Nikola back and never let him go. He wouldn't leave her, not if she could make a promise to him to be there. It was cheating in a way but Rose knew exactly what he wanted most and she was more than willing to give it to him. He would never love her the way he loved Helen, or would one day love Helen when he actually let himself trust that she could love him in return, but Rose could take second place.

She was more than happy to.

Hell, what had she been doing for the past 130-odd years if it wasn't playing second fiddle to his one true love? She was almost like a placeholder; an unflattering comparison but one she was willing to own.

He was wrapped up in his own thoughts of the moon and the stars and whether the clearing clouds meant that tomorrow they'd finally get a break from all this rain but there was a certain tension to it that Rose knew well. Closing her eyes she carefully let her mind reach out to him as subtly as she could, in an attempt to get him to breathe a little more easily.

That's when the voices started.

Normally she could tune out most everyone and let it all fade away. Even those she was with could go relatively unheard in her mind so long as she kept at it. Sometimes she'd get a few glimpses at strangers on the street but not often.

This was different though. These were distinct, alien voices that she'd never heard before in her life. They weren't the terrified woman from the facility they'd kept Helen in. They weren't any of the creepers who'd been eying her up in the ballroom either. They were something completely new and very unique.

And they were calling her.

Calling to her.

No one could do that, not even Helen.

No one could get into her head and call to her. Someone could maybe call _for_ her but this was different. The voices were strong and clear and rang out above the inner voices of those in the same room as her.

These voices were dangerous. She knew that on instinct.

But she couldn't resist them, they were too much of a puzzle to let them slide.

Her bare feet were moving across the plush carpet before she could blink, her body thrumming and pulsing as she followed the call.

They weren't speaking words, nor calling her name per se. It was more of a beat that caught her and refused to let go. It filled her ears, her heart, her mind, drowning out everything else. She couldn't even hear the faint whiff of Helen she'd been fixating on. Nothing could get past these voices and, honestly, she wouldn't let anything get passed them.

Rose could hear the voices of Helen's team both mentally and verbally trying to get her attention but she paid them no mind, moving towards the back of the room in something of a daze. With each step she took her sense of dread increased but she could no more stop than she could stop breathing.

It was only when a cold set of hands wrapped around her upper arms that she stopped, snarling despite the bloody vision that infiltrated her sight. That was the problem with having John around (aside from the obvious issues), just a single touch and all she could see was his cruel, smirking face as he held that blood soaked knife. It was too nondescript to really have any punch most days but it was like a nasty little reminder than she could never, ever let down her guard.

Rose turned and snarled at him, shaking off his hands before continuing towards the glass doors that opened out onto the gardens. The cool air was almost refreshing on her skin as she threw open the doors and stepped out onto the sandstone steps. Light from the room flooded out, lighting her way until the grass began and was swallowed up in darkness.

The others were following her, only Nikola's gruff comment that they all needed to shut the hell up stopping them from trying to pull Rose back into the safety of their little room.

Beneath her feet the grass was damp with the last of the rain, a few stray drops landing on her bare arms and back, probably even ruining her silk dress but Rose could barely comprehend what the rain was, let alone what it would do to the fine fabric.

The voices got stronger as she went, the lure powerful enough that her breath caught in her throat. She led their mismatched little group through the winding gardens, getting further and further away from the cheerfully lit up building that housed the roaring party and benefit.

Only when they came to a softly burbling water fountain did Rose stop for a long moment, breathing in deeply the scent of the garden around them.

She could hear Will and Henry exchange snide comments behind her, Declan shushing them with some kind of logical argument in Rose's favour but it barely registered. Nikola was calling out for her with his mind while John was thinking the most vitriolic and violent thoughts at her but it was only Kate Rose felt any real affection for at the stage. She was still grumbling about her clothes, most specifically her shoes.

After a moment, the voices grew even stronger, calling her deeper into the garden and she started moving once more, half floating across the ground. There was a lush walkway, covered with tiny white flowers and, as Rose walked down it, the gravel pricked at her feet. The blossoms left a cloying scent in the air as the small group passed beneath them.

With each step, the voices grew more frantic and more menacing and Rose picked up the pace, half running by the time she reached the end of the walkway. A few startled cries followed her but as Rose swung herself around the tall hedges of the gardens, the others fell further and further behind.

Her heart was pounding frantically as she rounded the final corner, coming to a stop as the breath rushed from her lungs.

"You bastard."

* * *

**Yay! I have internet! Which means I can do my assessment :( Poo. Anyway, update! Which is yay!**

**Sorry about the internal-heavy chapter, it'll heat up in the next chapters! We're so close to the end...**


	52. In The Moonlight

"Quite right," the elegant red head said with a polite smile. She wore a smart grey dress that wouldn't have looked out of place in an office. Hell, all she needed was a clipboard. "My parents were not married when I was born."

Rose's vision went a little red around the edges.

"However I doubt that was the use of the term you intended."

"Intelligent and pretty," Rose snarled. "Don't you just have it all..."

The other woman preened, running a hand over her hair. She opened her mouth as if to speak again only to close it as the sound of approaching footsteps grew.

"What did you do to her?" Rose said, ignoring those approaching. The woman smiled her serene little smile. "Where is she?"

"Shouldn't you be able to tell me that?"

"Rose!" came the desperate cry through the damp night air.

She made no move to reply, staring intently not at the young woman with the sharp eyes before her but instead at a small, wooden bench set between overgrown shrubbery.

And the woman in white resting unconscious upon it, her dark hair falling in haphazard curls across her cheek.

"What have you done?" Rose said again, hands clenching into trembling fists. The bile rising in her throat was only calmed by the gentle rise of fall of Helen's chest. Not that it stopped her from running through a variety of painful deaths she could inflict upon this mystery woman.

Though why she was alone, Rose could not figure out.

Where was their armada of protection for the oh so precious cargo?

"Rose!" someone bellowed. Nikola, she realised after a moment. It was Nikola. The voices in her head were still pounding away, drawing her attention and distorting everything beyond recognition. Even the one voice she knew better than any other.

Cocking her head, Rose frowned, her eyes never straying from Helen's prone form. Why could she not hear Helen? Or the smarmy red-head?

But then she couldn't focus on the mystery of it any longer because she could sense the approach of the others. Swinging one arm out, she caught Nikola's sleeve before he could tear past her. The strength with which he fought her grip told her he was fully transformed in a snarling menace of vampiric terror.

Her other hand flew out just seconds later, catching John full in the chest as he too made to move to where Helen lay in plain sight. She shuddered at the vision that, as always, took over her sight for a brief second but for some reason, it was now accompanied by a wave of nausea.

The rest of the team collided with the two men in a series of ungracious yelps and thumps but neither John nor Nikola moved. Slowly, Rose released them, arms trembling. Something was off, and it wasn't just the fact that this woman, whoever she was, was alone.

Quickly flitting through the minds of her companions with a touch more effort than normal, Rose searched for some flicker of recognition, trying to place the face before her. And then it clicked. The woman, Carla, whose terror had drawn Rose's mind to her knew this woman. She was scared of this woman. Actually, scratch that, she was _terrified _of this woman. Ruthless was the first word that sprang to mind, in fact.

"What the hell have you done to her?" Will cried, lurching forward a step. John pushed him back into line without blinking.

"Oh, your darling Helen shall be perfectly fine," the woman cooed. "After all, what kind of bait would she be if she were dead?"

"Dead?" Henry echoed, his voice deepening a little with the first touches of transformation.

"Cool it, Hank," Kate murmured and Rose wouldn't have been surprised if she took his hand too.

"More pressing is the idea that you'd use Magnus as bait," Declan ground out.

"Every good trap needs bait," the young woman said with another condescending curl of her lips.

"Who are you?" Rose snapped, tired of these games.

"And, more to the point, how can we kill you?" John said smoothly. Rose half expected Nikola to jump in with something more but he remained silent, shaking in silent fury by her side.

"My name is Doctor Worth," she said serenely. "Imogene. I feel it's best we're all on first name basis, all things considered."

"Why can't I hear you?" Rose snapped again.

Imogene smiled and chuckled.

"You are very impatient, aren't you? Though I have to admit, I haven't managed to catch your name yet."

"Why?" Rose repeated, eyes flicking to the other woman for a brief second.

"Give me your name."

"Tell me why."

"Your name or I'll have this made more painful than it needs to be," Imogene snarled, her eyes flashing a strange shade of gold. She blinked at her own words before recoiling slightly, smoothing her hair down as if it would help to keep her temper in check.

"Tell me why I cannot hear you," Rose spat. She was ready for the discussion to be over.

"Give me your name," Imogene said, her tone once again condescending.

Rose snarled, her arms beginning to shake one more. A cool hand wrapped around one balled fist but she shook it off. Anger was all she really had at the moment, anger and a set of teeth that could shred human skin like it was butter.

"You said something about this being a trap," Declan said after a beat.

"Correct," Imogene said, not looking at him. "And?"

"Well, why haven't you, oh, I don't know, dismembered us yet?" Will said.

Imogene chuckled.

"Don't you worry your pretty little face about dismemberment, William. My plans for you aren't nearly as bloodied as that."

"That doesn't bode well for the rest of us then, does it?" John growled.

"Well," Imogene said with a sigh, "I won't be in charge of care for all of you so I can't say who will and won't be subject to dissection but it's rather safe to assume that the, well, how shall I put this? The less gifted members of the team shan't be cut up."

"Enough!" Rose finally cried, taking a step forward. "Enough of this... chit chat. You have a purpose in bringing us here, yes? So then get to it so we can get the hell out of here."

For a moment, no one moved. The breeze died down, leaving the night air still. From somewhere behind them they could the music of the party and a few stray crickets were beginning to make themselves heard but no one spoke.

"You're too confident in yourself," Imogene said, brow creasing ever so slightly. "I think you underestimate me."

"And I think you've underestimated us."

Slowly Imogene raised a hand, two fingers pointing upwards. Everyone watched her for the briefest of moments, all holding their breath.

Rose heard the whizz of metal through the air before the others. Nikola was the next to notice, stiffening and shifting slightly beside her. She knew where it was coming from, knew where it was going to land. The cruel look in the other woman's eye explained it all and so Rose stood tall.

As the metal tip of the arrow burrowed through her right shoulder, Rose grinned. It burned, the metal obviously laced with some kind of poison that was supposed to bring her to her knees but Rose waited until it pierced the other side before she looked down at it. The tip shone softly in the moonlight, glistening with her blood.

She chuckled.

The others around her gasped in shock, a few muted cries of alarm puncturing the otherwise silent evening. Nikola chuckled too, looking down at her wound.

Rose caught his eye and her smile widened. His smirk was positively murderous. Turing back to the now slightly less cocky red head, Rose let her smile drop.

"Did you really think this would kill me?" she snarled, stepping forward. Her pace was measured but Rose was pleased to see the other woman recoil slightly. "An arrow? Tipped with what? Cyanide maybe? Or perhaps something to hurt not kill?" Rose laughed softly, reaching up to grasp the bloodied tip of the arrow with one hand.

She pursed her lips and stopped dead, tilting her head.

"Stupid human," she whispered before slowly and deliberately pulling the arrow from her shoulder. It hurt like hell as it ripped away chunks of flesh but Rose didn't flinch until it finally pulled free of her shoulder. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting the cool air caress and irritate the wound even further.

Her eyes snapped open suddenly as her arm came up and, with a well placed flick of the wrist, she sent the arrow flying straight at Imogene. It stuck her upper arm, causing the red head to cry out in alarm. Clutching at her wound, she stumbled backwards, glaring at Rose.

"See, the thing is, darling," Rose said, lips curling in distaste. "There are things about me that even Helen doesn't know about. Very bad things. Things that will, I'm afraid to say, kill you."

With a grin, Rose flung her arms wide and let loose the transformation she'd barely been controlling. As the wound on her arm began to heal rapidly, the flesh of her back tore to allow her wings through. Her nails grew and teeth sharpened and every sense was suddenly aware of so very much more. Now she could hear the heart beat of everyone in the vicinity, including those of the men she assumed were in charge of shooting them all to death with archaic arrows. She could hear the back up Declan had put in place, only she could hear their minds too. In a split second, she reached out to those he couldn't properly hear and, fighting the overwhelming nausea and brain melting headache that accompanied the action, reached into their minds and stopped them from breathing.

All of them.

A few strangled cries floated towards where they stood in the garden and Imogene's eyes widened even further.

"Now, tell me how you're doing it," Rose snarled, rolling her shoulders as she shook out her wings.

"Resin," someone whispered, their voice broken and dry. Rose stopped, her heart freezing up. "Purple... Afina..."

And then Rose's heart was beating once more, blood pounding through her body alongside fury. Her breathing was laboured, her vision blurry.

Turning her attention back to the slightly perturbed red head, Rose let her lips curl back into a snarl. "You will pay. If you have hurt her in any way, you will pay for this."

Imogene's top lip curled and she opened her mouth to say something but a weak cough cut her off.

"Helen!" John called, his voice raw with emotion.

"Don't," Rose snapped, her tone icy. If they surged forwards, all this would fall to pieces.

"Yes, stay back or I'll kill her," Imogene hissed, suddenly turning deadly. "And this isn't something I'd test if I were you. After the way she destroyed all our plans in Vienna, this is only fair. Plus we get the added bonus of learning from her physiology. I can't wait to see her body shredded on the operating table as our scientists take her apart."

Rose let lose another snarl, leaning towards the other woman, balancing on the balls of her feet.

"That's funny, because you're testing my patience," Rose replied.

Imogene went to respond but Rose was too quick, slipping forward and backhanding the other woman. Imogene fell to the ground, long legs sprawled across the gravel as she clutched the side of her face and her still injured arm. Rose watched as two tiny pieces of resin fell from behind the other woman's ears and it was like all sensation came rushing back into Rose's mind. She gasped, staggering backwards as she clutched at her head.

She could see it all now, their plan, their anger, their torture. All of it was on display for Rose. But, worst of all, she could see what they'd done to Helen. Her body began to shake again only this time it had nothing to do with trying to hold back her transformation.

They had tried to break Helen, to tear her apart inside until she fell into thousands of tiny pieces they could use. And they'd gotten damn close. Rose still couldn't hear more than the occasional murmur from Helen's mind but she could see the way Imogene had interrogated her, faking the passage of time to the point where it must have felt like months had passed, not days.

Eight days turned eight months... Rose shook her head.

And then something else.

_One minute. No more. Close. They come. One minute. Hold on. Stay. No lose. Come. They come. Guns. Blood. Death. Maybe. Maybe not. Alive. Serum. Learn. Practice. Serum. They come._

The thoughts gave way to a series of images of a laboratory filled with sterile equipment, of needles and IV bags that contained something far more threatening than their clear contents would hint at.

_Experiment_.

Rose snarled, a string of vile curses slipping from her lips before she turned to the others. Nikola was transformed, Declan, Will and Kate nursing guns by their sides. Henry's face was partially transformed, his canines longer than normal but John was the most changed somehow. His face was distorted with an anger that ran deeper than anything Rose had seen before. Her mind now clear, she knew she could look into him to see just how dangerous he'd become but she refused. There was something about the look in his eye that terrified her. It was... too familiar.

"They're coming," she growled at them. "Declan, this is it. Ready?"

The Brit nodded once, stepping forwards as his hand went to his ear.

"Go," he said into his sleeve.

Rose turned back to Imogene just in time to watch the other woman reach up her skirt. With a grimace she took control of the woman, yanking both her hands up to the side, forcing her onto her back.

"Did you really think you'd capture us?" Rose snarled, flexing her talons. "Shoot an arrow or two and everything would be fine? We'd just come quietly?"

The other woman struggled against Rose's hold over her mind.

"You'll never make it out of here alive. Not even if you kill me," Imogene hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Oh," Rose continued as if not hearing her, seeing the plan more clearly. "Gas. Really? You were going to gas us. How... pathetic."

She went to continue but the far off sounds of footsteps stopped her.

"Incoming," she said, turning back to Declan and the others briefly. "And these ones aren't ours."

Declan nodded once, checking his gun before moving away from the group. The rest of them dispersed as Rose turned back to Imogene.

"Once I have dealt with this, you will be my first port of call. Now run."

With that she released the other woman and turned. She heard Imogene scramble to her feet and reach again for the knife. This time, Rose caught the projectile before it hit her shoulder but, as before she threw it back. It lodged in the other woman's throat before she could blink.

As the blood began to flow steadily from the wound, Rose shifted her attentions. She heard the woman's body fall to the ground with a soft thud, followed by a few gasped protests before she fell silent. But it wasn't that woman Rose was interested in. She could hear the 'silent' footsteps of their soon to be attackers getting closer and closer. There wasn't much time.

"Helen," Rose breathed, reaching out to her friend. Her body seemed sunken, as if they really had been parted for an entire eight months. Her skin looked brittle, too tight over her bones. As Rose shifted the hair from Helen's face she could see that they'd gone to pains to make her up. Her alabaster skin was caked with makeup to cover the dark circles beneath her eyes and her lips painted ruby red.

Making sure to sheath her talons, Rose crouched down in front of Helen, running her hands through her friends hair as she worked to hold back tears. It wasn't right, seeing Helen like this... It wasn't right. Rose had always known that somehow the source blood would be the death of the illustrious Five and for once, she hadn't wanted to be right.

The mysterious properties of Helen's blood were too tempting to groups like this. Even when the rest of the world proclaimed her dead, she was in danger simply through virtue of living.

"Bloody Magnus," Rose whispered, half chuckling, half sobbing as she found the large chunk of purple resin they'd somehow affixed to the back of her head. Carefully she pried it off, trying not to listen to the murmur of pain that slipped through her friend's lips.

When it was free, she tossed it aside, gasping in shock as she was finally able to hear Helen once more. It was strangely uplifting, even if Helen's mind was nothing more than a confused mash of memories, both new and old.

"Rosie," she murmured, eyes fluttering open for a brief second. "Oh Rosie." She hummed softly, a tiny smile on her lips.

Carefully Rose slid her arms beneath Helen's frame, easing her up until she was sitting on the bench, her white silk dress turning silver in the moonlight.

"She's alive?" Nikola asked, making Rose start. She turned to give him a small smile.

"Very much so. I think... She'll be all right but... This will take time to recover from. Her mind..."

"But she's alive?"

"Yes."

Nikola nodded once before awkwardly ducking in close, pressing a kiss to the top of Helen's head.

"You stay that way, you hear me?" he whispered, his voice a low growl.

"We don't have time to get her out of here. Their reinforcements are almost here," Rose said hurriedly, wrapping an arm around Helen's shoulders as she slid into the space beside her.

"We can't leave her here, can't John..."

"Their teleportation capabilities seem to reach beyond John's. We can't risk them tracking her or him."

Nikola looked like he was about to argue but as a gunshot rang out, he snapped his mouth closed.

"We need to hide her," he said, reaching down to grab Helen. He hefted her up into his arms, holding her tight.

"Behind here," Rose said, gesturing to the shrubs. Together they pushed aside the thick branches until they found a space big enough for Helen to hide in. Nikola laid her down carefully, caressing her cheek softly before straightening up.

Rose took his hand, unsure of whether or not there were any words that could make this better. Nikola smiled down at her but, once again, a gunshot rang out before he could speak. They both turned, vaulting over the bench as they headed towards the rest of the group.

Declan and Kate were at the head, guns pointed out into the darkness. Will and Henry were hanging back a little, weapons at the ready. John, for some reason, was nowhere to be seen but Rose didn't think to question his absence. He was a fighter and a stealthy one at that; he'd take care of himself and, if they were lucky, their opponents too.

Smiling at the thought, Rose rolled her shoulders, forcing her wings back in for the moment. They weren't exactly the epitome of stealth.

"Are the guns us or them?" Declan breathed, eyes flicking to Rose.

Rose waited a moment, brow creasing as she searched the minds she could hear. John was, as she suspected, darting about and slitting throats. Those around her were all racing through the vague plans they'd concocted in the days leading up to this, their minds scattered for the most part. Then she heard another gunshot and the mental whoop of joy that followed it told her all she needed to know.

"Us."

Another gunshot rang out, this one much closer to where they were.

"This waiting is killing me," Will whispered.

"Shut it, Huggybear, I'm tryin- OW!"

Everyone whipped around to watch the blood trickle from the wound on his chest for a second before instinct kicked in and they scattered.

The sound of gunfire grew louder and more frequent as they all hid around the space. Never in her life had Rose loved high, untamed shrubbery more.

_What's say we even the odds_, she offered to Nikola, peeking through the foliage. His mental chuckle was dark but significantly more upbeat than before. Helen was alive and his mood had improved dramatically with the knowledge. The fact that he had doubted Rose's promise that Helen was alive and well (enough) made her frown but she ignored it, instead springing out from her hidey hole.

She and Nikola moved through the dark garden almost silently, picking off attacker after attacker with little more than a well placed talon. On occasion, one would put up a fight but they made a deadly team and soon enough the odds were much closer to even.

_There are too many to deal with like this,_ Rose sent to Nikola as she tried her best to avoid another spurt of blood from the body she was currently lowering silently to the ground.

_I've found a few of John's,_ Nikola replied. _His handy work is disturbingly good._

_Even with the three of us, it won't be enough. _

_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_

Rose smiled as she snapped another neck.

_Like cattle, _she agreed. _There is a small entrance to the clearing to your right_.

_Can you convince them to head that way?_

_Sadly not_, Rose thought with distaste._ They got bloody clever with the resin, I can barely pick up their minds, let alone influence them without keeling over myself._

Nikola seemed sympathetic for a moment but he brushed it off, getting back to work.

_Find John,_ he said. _I'll meet you both there_. And with that he was off, darting between bushes and over dead bodies.

Closing her eyes, Rose searched for John, finding him easily. He was giving in to his beast, taking out his frustrations on a suitable victim.

_Sharp blade_, Rose sent softly, her tone wary.

_Makes things quicker,_ he replied, not missing a beat. _Care for a demonstration?_

_Not right now,_ Rose sent, screwing up her nose. _We need your skills._

She quickly showed him the plan, gaining his silent approval before heading towards where Nikola would be waiting for them. On the way, she took out another two of their attackers, much to her own surprise. It was only as the second was sinking to the ground that she realised what she was doing. Killing indiscriminately wasn't her thing. No matter how evil these people where, this was... unacceptable.

A cold shot of dread ran through her as she looked down at the body by her feet. He had a family, or at the very least, a life. Someone would miss this man whose blood was quickly cooling on her skin. This wasn't revenge, or even a well thought out plan of attack. This was cold blooded murder.

She was just about ready to start dry heaving when the sound of approaching footsteps helped her survival instincts to kick in. This time, however, she merely knocked out her attacker, gently lowering his unconscious body to the ground. He was lying in the slowly expanding pool of blood from the two men who had happened across Rose before the development of her conscience yet, as John approached, there was no time to move his body.

John nodded at her once, presenting to her an image just as gruesome as the one she supposed she presented to him. Blood covered his arms and chest, his face flecked with red too. He had, thankfully, hidden the knife he'd been ripping into his victims with.

She gestured forwards and together they moved through the gardens until Nikola came into sight, his dark eyes swirling in the moonlight. He was significantly less bloodied than either Rose or John, his shirt still recognisable as white and Rose found herself wishing she possessed his measured control, despite their emotional attachment to the situation.

"The others know what we're going to do," Rose whispered, turning to face the darkest depths of the garden again.

And then she smiled

"Oi!" she yelled, her voice carrying on the still night air. "Come and get us."

"Because _that's_ not going to scream trap," Nikola muttered, shaking his head as they all braced themselves.

"I'm counting on the fact that they're not very smart," Rose replied, flexing her fingers.

"They are exceptionally easy to kill," John added, cracking his neck.

"Is it just me, or are you getting creepier with age?" Rose muttered, shaking her head. Nikola smirked at the pair of them. Rose was about to chastise him for snark in the face of massacre when, finally she heard the footsteps approaching. As one, the three of them melted back behind the shrubbery to wait.

And they weren't waiting long. It was barely 30 seconds later that the first man rounded the corner, his gun sweeping the space. And then another, and then another and then, when number six rounded the corner, they sprang.

It all passed in a blur of limbs and blood, Rose's body acting more on instinct than anything else. The sound of flesh hitting flesh was almost all that registered. There were bullets whizzing by too, somehow missing them all. What Helen would probably call adrenaline was rushing through her veins, heightening everything. Her body sliced through the air as she took out her attackers with nails and teeth and, when one proved to be particularly stubborn, her fists finished it off for that hands on approach she found surprisingly enjoyable.

Nikola and John were moving with almost as much finesse, grunting softly from time to time as they took down more attackers. Out of the corner of her eye, Rose watched as the others finally joined the fray, taking out more of the men clad in black. Smiling, she turned back to the man trying to bash her skull in with the butt of his gun.

With a swipe of her talons, the man was on the ground, his chest bleeding profusely through the thick black fabric that covered his chest. Smirking, she brought her foot up to rest just under his neck. He scrambled, pushing at her leg but the slippery fabric of her skirt kept getting caught up and stopping him from getting a proper grip, not that it would have stopped her from crushing his wind pipe.

"Bad luck, chum," she snarled down at him, revelling in the release his death gave her. She felt powerful, on top of the world.

"This is easier than picking off pheasants," John put in as he slammed another man into the ground.

"Remember that weekend when Gregory took us out?" Nikola asked, voice breathless with excitement before he snarled, plunging his talons into the gut of an oncoming attacker.

John smiled and chuckled before swiping behind him, catching another man in the ribs.

"We caught nothing all week," John said with a grunt as he pulled his blade free.

"Gregory kept telling you off for scaring away the birds," Nikola said, flashing him a grin.

"You guys got to do all the fun stuff," Rose said. "How come you never invited me?"

"Someone had to keep Helen company," Nikola teased as he broke the neck of the man who thought it wise to tackle a vampire to the ground.

"Our girls weekends away were rather wild without you boys holding us back," Rose allowed before sinking her fist into the gut of yet another attacker.

"I wish I could have seen it," John said, shaking his head as he straightened up. "I've no doubt you'd have been right terrors."

Rose laughed, throwing her head back in release. She turned to reply to John, her grin widening as she took in his smile only to watch it drop as a shimmering white something approached him from the side.

And then everything slowed. Rose supposed it was like watching a car crash, the way everything seemed to be in perfect detail yet still so impossible. Helen was up. She was walking, moving, freely. But she was unsteady. Those pretty blue eyes were hazy as she stumbled about. Her feet tangled in her dress and she fell, arms outstretched.

Her lips were part way through forming his name as she fell into his arms, recognition sparking in her mind. And John tried to catch her.

They all seemed to freeze as he did, Helen's eyes going impossibly wide for a second as something akin to understanding flashed across her face. But it couldn't be, Rose knew it wasn't understanding. Helen didn't understand. In fact, there was only one thing going through her mind as her painted lips fell apart.

_Finally_.

And it was odd, because suddenly that same word was going through Rose's head too. She should have seen it earlier, she should have pieced it together but she hadn't.

_Finally_. _This is it._

Rose looked over to John.

The blood.

The knife.

And she knew.

Helen's fingers were wrapped around John's upper arms, clutching at the blood soaked fabric of his jacket. Rose watched as he said the name of the woman in his arms, jerking back in terror.

And Helen released him, her body falling backwards as the knife slipped from where it had come to rest between her ribs. A choked noise of shock fell from her lips as the tip left her body, eyes losing focus.

Helen was beautiful, Rose realised. Even like this she was captivating.

Her eyes were wide and watering, lips trembling in the perfect 'O' as her arms fell to the sides. The air rushed by her, flicking the ends of her hair up to hide her face as she reached the ground with a soft thud that brought everything back to normal speed for Rose.

With a screech ripped from her somewhere deep inside, Rose reached out to the minds of everyone still shooting at Helen's team and, with little regard for the sharp crack that echoed through each of her bones, she ended their lives. They all fell simultaneously to the ground and Rose started forwards, clambering over bodies until she could fall to the ground beside Helen, her hand coming to rest on the bloody stain slowly spreading across the pale silk dress.

* * *

**Sorry not sorry.**

**xx**


	53. Thy Will Be Done

"Helen," Rose murmured, her hand pressing desperately on her wound. "Oh, Helen."

Terror started to rise deep within her.

"Helen," she tried again, bending over the limp body of her friend. She was gasping for breath, eyes wide as if in shock. Helen's eyes locked on Rose's, her brow creasing in confusion.

"Stay with me. Please, God, stay with me," Rose urged as red tears began to streak down her face. She could hear the others as they gathered around Helen's body. Their cries of disbelief barely registered. Not even when Nikola knelt on the other side of her, grasping Helen by the shoulders, did Rose look up.

Instead she was focused on holding tight to Helen's ribs.

The blood was warm against her skin where it seeped through her fingers, running in rivulets down to further stain the white silk of Helen's dress. The colour different was startling, sickening even though Rose was covered in the same, if not partially dried substance.

Distractedly, her mind wandered back to her discussion with Kate on suitable colours for a mission such as this. She'd known it would get bloody from the start.

But this was the wrong kind of blood.

Nikola swatted away her hands with an angry scowl, pushing until his own hands covered Helen's wound.

"Magnetic field," he grunted by way of explanation but he didn't look at Rose as he spoke. His eyes too were fixed to Helen's face. Her breathing was more laboured now, her chest jerking up and down as her hands clawed at the grass rather feebly.

"Call an ambulance," Henry said, his voice breaking. "Someone call a freakin' ambulance. Now!"

Someone started fumbling as they sniffled.

"Don't," Rose croaked. "Don't call..."

That's not how this was going to end and she knew it.

"What do you mean 'don't'?" Kate shrieked. "The doc is dying! Call the freakin' ambulance, Will."

"Don't," Rose snapped again, this time turning to face the others. "Don't call anyone. You hear me?"

Declan, Henry and Kate promptly began shouting at her but she didn't have time for them. Taking a deep breath, Rose sent them to sleep, taking care that they were able to control themselves as they collapsed onto the grass.

The night around them now silent, Rose's heart beat began to slow a little from its dangerously rapid pace.

"What the hell did you do to them?" Will breathed. "C'mon Rose. Be serious here, we have to get her to a doctor. None of us are qualified for this."

"No," she whispered, gently stroking at the bare skin of her friend's shoulder.

"At least let me call in some more of our back up guys," he pleaded. "Rose, she needs treatment, now."

"No," she said again, this time stronger.

Nikola looked over to her, his eyes black and his teeth sharp.

"You will not let her die," he snarled and Rose felt an ancient bead of disgust and terror roll through her. It was a sensation that had disappeared not long after she'd met Nikola yet tonight it bought the taste of metal to the tip of her tongue.

"No," Rose said. "No, she won't die."

Another few stray tears rolled down her cheeks and she brushed them away hastily, catching sight of her bloodied arms. Her skin looked like marble under the moonlight, flecked with drying blood of those she'd slaughtered tonight.

"You have to trust me on this."

It had been so long since she'd really slaughtered anyone, she mused. The vampires didn't count, they were a natural born enemy; their slaughter was right. This was different. She hadn't killed like this in centuries.

Yet the blood on her arms felt right in a strange way.

"John," she snapped as she recovered her sense of purpose, turning back to where the man stood several paces away. He was on his knees, hands and arms covered in blood only most of his was still fresh. The silver blade lay in the grass by his side, red blood turning black as it glinted softly.

"I..." he half breathed.

"Come here," Rose ordered. John's eyes snapped up from Helen to Rose, an utter lack of comprehension colouring his expression.

"I didn't mean..." he tried, sounding like a lost child. His demon, Jack, was apparently hiding, allowing John to really see what he'd done to the only woman he'd ever loved.

Reaching into his mind, Rose yanked him forwards until he crawled on hands and knees towards them.

"Hold her feet," she instructed, voice shaking. John's mouth opened and closed a few times but a wallop on the back from Nikola had his hands closing around Helen's ankles.

Swallowing hard, Rose turned back to Helen. Disgust at herself began to rise in the back of her throat but Rose fought it down. She would do this, it was the only way.

"Uh, Rose," Will started tentatively, dropping to his knees beside her. "Rose, we need to get her to a hospital now."

"No," she whispered turning to him fully and taking his face in her bloodied hands. "No, Will. She won't make it. This... This is it. You have to trust me. Do exactly as I say. Promise?"

"Uh..."

"Promise me, William," she begged softly. "Please."

His eyes went wide but he nodded minutely. Rose waited a moment, watching his mind for any signs of rebellion. Apparently he'd learnt his lesson with Helen and this time was all right with the whole blind faith thing. It made Rose's heart skip a beat. It had been a very long time since someone like Will had trusted her as wholly as he apparently did.

Quickly, she pulled him in, pressing a kiss to his lips before he could process what she was doing before releasing him and turning back to Helen.

She could hear Nikola's discomfort at her lack of information but she pushed it aside, bending down until her face was merely inches from Helen's. Cupping a cheek, Rose bit back another round of tears.

"Forgive me for this," Rose whispered, to the men beside her as much as the woman lying a little too sedately on the grass. "I love you, Helen. Remember that when you get mad. I'm only doing what I have to."

She bit her lip, her body starting to tremble.

"Please. Please just... Just. I'm sorry," she murmured, a smile tiliting the corners of her lips. Helen couldn't hear her but she was happy, floating in a world of dreams as her mind gave her comfort in her final minutes.

Pulling back, Rose wiped her tears away with the back of one hand before taking a deep breath.

Though not a single cell in her body wanted to do it, Rose let her teeth out, snarling slightly.

And then she leant in, her teeth closing over the side of Helen's neck. The sound of ripping flesh made her sick to her stomach but she kept going, burying her teeth to the gums. Her skin was so very hot beneath her mouth yet it was the blood that pouted from the wound that held the real, scalding heat.

Then Helen's body started to jerk, a strangled scream slipping through her lips as Rose continued to drink and drink and drink.

The pain set in quickly, like fire racing through her veins. It burnt out her brain, searing away emotion and memory. All Rose could feel was the poison of Helen's blood as it snaked its way through her system. But, as she'd hoped, it wasn't as toxic as it should have been. Their shared DNA saved her, at least for the time being. And, she thought, now it would bind them forever.

When she could feel the blood working its magic on her insides, Rose pulled back, gulping down air instead. Will was spluttering, Nikola eyeing her with barely concealed disgust but it was John she turned to.

"John," she gasped, voice hoarse. She tried to reach for him but her limbs felt heavy and she simply slumped forwards instead. "John," she tried again.

His eyes slowly met hers, his confusion still somehow beating back his inner beast.

Using all her energy, Rose reached one hand out to him, relief shuddering through her as he took it.

She didn't think on the fact that, for the first time, his touch gave her no ghastly visions.

The future had come to pass.

She grasped his hand firmly before turning back to Nikola, trying her best not to look down at Helen's twitching body.

"Keep her alive," she told the vampire. Nikola's eyes slid from Helen's face to Rose for a brief second.

"If she dies, I'll never forgive you," he swore. Rose nodded and gave him a tight smile.

It was nice to know Helen would have Nikola to look after her.

She opened her mouth to speak once more just as a fresh streak of fire burned through her veins. The change was happening far quicker than she'd intended.

"Rose!" Will cried in alarm, his arm coming to rest around her shoulder as she grunted. It took a moment but, eventually, she pushed the pain as far to the back of her mind as she could.

Will's arm around her helped; the feel of another human being's warmth helping her to focus.

She smiled up at him before turning her attention once more to John.

"Take us to the old Sanctuary," she gasped out, squeezing his hand to hold his attention. "To where the main laboratory was."

He looked at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"Trust me on this," she urged. "I can save them both." He paused, regarding her for a second longer before, with one last disparate look to Helen, he, Rose and Will disappeared with a sharp snap into the red mist.

* * *

**Meep. Sorry for the delay. I get distracted easy.**

**xx**


	54. Because I Could Not Stop For Death

The trip, though short tore at Rose's mind, pain rippling through her as their feet landed on solid ground once more. Will barely caught her around the waist before she fell to the ground.

Bricks and debris littered the ground, untouched since the explosion. A little clean up had occurred around the edges but here, at the back of the plot, the destruction was undisturbed. Half a wall stood to their left while the rest of the structure lay in ruins around their feet. The ground was uneven, mounds of rubble shifted to create paths to better search for bodies.

Of course, they'd only found one and it had been lying on the footpath outside the grounds of the Sanctuary. No one questioned it when the body promptly disappeared from state custody though.

Nor did they question the lack of any other bodies within the explosion itself. The fire had raged for three straight days so it was only natural that no remains were able to be identified.

Rose had been privy to very few details surrounding Helen's 'final solution' in regards to the problem the world's governments presented; she'd been far more involved in setting up the underground facilities. If you could really call it involvement. Helen had worked hard to keep everyone at arms length. Rose had protested that, in that she couldn't _not_ know, she ought to be allowed to help in some way but rarely had Helen relented.

Which, Rose often suspected, was the entire reason they had ended up where they were now. Bloody Helen Magnus; making everything harder for everyone, she thought as she grabbed onto Will's jacket to keep herself upright. He held her tightly and suddenly Rose had the most intense desire to simply melt into his arms. She half smiled at that. If they had had more time, if this hadn't happened the way it had... In her mind's eye she could still see that overpowering vision she'd been presented with the first time they met.

She swallowed, unwilling to think on what could have been, instead focused on what she was there to do.

Pushing Will away, Rose stumbled forwards. She closed her eyes, trying to picture the grand laboratory as it had been. Sally's tank was behind her, the one Rose and Ashley had cracked the glass of to her right and, as she turned, Rose knew she was in the right place. She hadn't been there at the time, all she'd gotten were sketchy second hand accounts tainted by emotion but there was no doubt in her mind.

Hacking only slightly (the amount of blood that came up this time was surprisingly minimal), Rose fell to her knees.

"Come, John," she whispered, holding a hand out to where he stood a few feet away. He still looked so very lost that her heart would have gone out to him under any other circumstances.

But not today, not when the anger was starting to remind her of why she was there.

He moved with wooden limbs towards her, only falling to his knees with a little mental assistance.

Reaching out unsteadily, Rose clasped his face in her hands, dragging them closer together. Her hands, much to her shock, were covered in wet blood still and it took a moment for her to realise that it was Helen's. John's lower lip trembled slightly as he gazed down at her, eyes unfocused and unseeing.

She coughed again, the taste of blood filling her mouth.

"This is going to be unpleasant, John," she said softly, leaning into him a little more. He grabbed her shoulders tightly. "You will have to try and let it go for me, all right. You won't want to but you have to try. For Helen. Can you do that?"

"I... I don't..." he murmured. "Rose. What are we doing?"

"The right thing," she promised with a small smile.

She turned to Will and gave him a stern look.

"Get out your gun," she ordered. "I can't predict what state she'll be in but it may not be pretty."

"State?" Will echoed. "Rose, what's going on? What are you doing?"

"The right thing," she repeated. "Now keep that gun out and do not hesitate to shoot."

"Shoot you?"

"No," she said with as much scorn as she could muster. "Ashley."

And with that she turned back to John, pulling his mouth down to hers in a sloppy, unwelcome version of a kiss. It didn't take much to find the creature, lurking deep within him. She bit down on his lower lip, letting John's blood roll over her tongue and the creature grew angrier and angrier at the predicament John found himself in which, of course, was what Rose was counting on.

That creature was rage, pure and unadulterated rage. Much as Rose was herself.

It lashed out at her, trying to burn away at her mind but Helen's blood had already done enough damage that it barely even tingled. But it was the opening Rose needed.

Feeling inside herself for that little spark of light she'd never had real cause to use, Rose reached out to the creature, trapping it with her mind as she sent waves of energy back through John to try and heal the damage the creature had done. It wasn't overly effective but she didn't need it to be.

It worked, the creature rebelling against the foreign power source so violently that it had nowhere but Rose to turn to. It leapt into her body through their still fused mouths and Rose could feel its power surging through her veins. The pain was intense, joining with the poison still searing through her body until she thought she just might explode from it.

When she was certain that the creature had left John well and truly alone, she pushed him off of her with all her strength. He collapsed back against the uneven ground with a gasp but she barely noticed him.

With a cry wrenched from deep within her, Rose eyes snapped open as her back bent until she faced the sky. The energy elemental raged within her, its power daunting yet seductive. It wanted to be free again, it wanted to exercise its fury and it wanted Rose to be its vessel to do so. All of a sudden she completely understood how John had been held captive by it for so very long.

But Rose didn't dwell on the thought, instead pushing and pushing and pushing until she could feel the electricity dancing over her skin. It reminded her vaguely of the way Nikola used to fiddle about with his abilities as they lounged about on lazy afternoons only more intense. This time she could control it rather than just being subjected to it.

When the power was crackling over her she again reached for that tiny spark, this time letting it flood her body too. It was a calming sensation, like a warm, soothing light that had the power to heal all wounds. Which, in a way, it did, she supposed absently.

The spark grew, filling her body and reaching into the energy elemental. It screamed at the treatment, now begging for release but Rose wouldn't let it, not yet. She had to wait, wait until the pain got worse, until the spark ignited with the DNA catalysts she'd fed it with and then, finally, she let it all go.

Energy burst from her chest into the night sky. It seemed to hit a barrier of red light that rippled and cracked as it absorbed the burst until it too finally gave way, shattering above them with a loud pop. Electricity continued to bounce about the space, surging from Rose's chest as the elemental was slowly leached from her. It could never be fully dissipated but she could feel it grow weaker and weaker as her spark carried it from her body.

And then she heard a scream.

It was familiar and feminine and heartbreaking and the most glorious sound Rose had heard in her entire life.

Will swore vibrantly a few times, his voice carrying over the crackling electricity and Rose would have laughed if it hadn't been for the focus her task needed.

The electricity stopped almost as abruptly as it came, leaving the late night air still and silent once more. Rose looked through hazy eyes towards Will, following his eye line to where Ashley stood, panting hard. She swayed on the spot, bright blue eyes unfocused.

"Muh-," she breathed, mouth opening wide, lips shuddering before she fell to the ground without a sound.

"Holy shit," Will breathed, his hands shaking. He dropped his gun to the ground and it clattered loudly against the debris. "Holy mother of shit."

"Will," Rose gasped, reaching for him. "Help me. I need... I ne- need to see her."

In half a second he was by her side, an arm around her waist as he dragged her the short distance to where Ashley's unconscious body lay.

"How the hell..." he tried as Rose knelt over the body. "I mean... Rose, she was dead. She _is_ dead. H-how?"

Rose ignored him, stroking Ashley's cheek gently. Only when she left bloody smears on the otherwise pristine skin did she rethink the sentimental gesture. There wasn't quite enough time for sentimental.

"She's alive?" Will asked, grabbing Rose's shoulder to get her full attention. "I mean, there's a pulse? You can hear her?"

Rose frowned. She couldn't. She couldn't hear anything. Well, she could hear Will's laboured breaths, she could hear John moaning softly as he stirred and she could hear the gentle lap of the river against its banks but she couldn't _hear_.

"It's fuzzy," she said to Will, really focusing. She could feel his concern, his confusion but there was no clarity to it. A sudden wave of terror washed over her and she grabbed for his hand.

"John," she cried with as much force as she could muster. "John!"

She heard him lurching through the rubble towards them but still she frantically clutched to Will as if it would hurry things along. If she was to go through with this, it would have to be now.

"My word," John breathed as he came to a stop beside Will. "Rose, what have you done?"

"Take us back to Helen," she pleaded, almost in tears. "John, take us back to her now."

"Rose..."

"Now. There isn't much time. Please John."

He paused for a second, regarding her with eyes that were far clearer than before. John nodded minutely before kneeling down, wrapping one arm around Rose and Will before tentatively placing a hand on his daughter's knee.

Rose closed her eyes this time, not wanting the disorientating blackness in her vision as they hopped back to the stately gardens behind the ballroom that hosted the fundraiser.

When she cracked her eyes, Nikola was as they'd left him, kneeling beside Helen's side with his hand on her wound.

"She's almost gone," he whispered, hearing their arrival but not looking up.

"Help me," Rose panted, looking up to Will who cast an uncertain look towards Ashley as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing, before wrapping her more securely in his arms and carrying Rose to Helen's side. He deposited her on the ground softly before shuffling back.

"What the fuck?" Declan muttered from somewhere off in the dark, obviously having awoken recently.

"Is that?" Henry breathed his voice cracking. "Oh shit."

"I don't get it," Kate said softly. "She's... But she's..."

They may have continued to speak, Rose wasn't sure but she didn't care. All she could see was Helen. Her face was whiter than it ought to have been, her breathing slow and, by the looks of it, the rate of blood seeping from her wound was slowing.

She was dying.

The death of Helen Magnus.

It was something Rose had always known she would witness, it was inevitable really but she never, for one second had thought that the sight would make her happy. Never had she longed for Helen's death but now it was something to be welcomed.

It meant she could help her friend one last time.

Carefully she moved closer and closer until she could feel the last skerrick of heat from Helen's body though the silk of their dresses. She reached for the wound, pushing away Nikola's hands silently before bowing her head.

There was much she wanted to say, things that needed to be expressed but she couldn't say anything. This was Helen, her friend, her love, her life in enough ways that they'd often joked that they were far too dependent on each other. Helen deserved a proper good bye but it was the one thing Rose could not give.

Not this time.

"Be good," she whispered, her words barely reaching her own ears.

And then she reached inside herself for the very last time.

The spark was easy to find now, burning away with the last dregs of vitality in a final attempt to rekindle something that was already burnt out. Rose grasped onto it with everything she had, pulling it forward until it flooded her being once more.

The light poured from her body into Helen, flowing down Rose's arm to the ghastly wound beneath the palm of her hand. A sense of peace washed over her and Rose smiled, looking down to Helen again.

Slowly the spark began to flicker, slipping from Rose's grasp until she felt suddenly cold. She didn't pull away though, determined to keep going until the spark disappeared completely. The power and heat of it was ebbing away, becoming more and more elusive as it shifted from inside of her to outside.

Suddenly something beneath her hand shifted, the movement making Rose dizzy. She would have fallen backwards to the cold ground if it hadn't been for the blazing hot hand that closed around her upper arm.

"Rose."

It was her name, soft and distant yet infinitely loving.

She smiled, blinking slowly. She was tired, very tired. She wanted to rest but the blue eyes that met her own demanded reply.

"Helen," she said with another smile.

The cold was seeping through her now faster and faster, calling her to the darkness that promised comfort and warmth. She wanted to go to the darkness, to the peace that beckoned. She could hear her names, see more blue eyes but Rose could do nothing but smile.

She was happy.

And, as she fell backwards slowly, crystal clear tears tracked down her cheeks.


	55. Healing I

_Helen screamed, bolting up as far as the tight leather restraints would let her. Her voice was hoarse, her wrists bloody but she wouldn't be captive again, not after everything. A set of cool hands grabbed her shoulders, pushing her down into the bed. She bared her teeth, thrashing against the new hold. _

"_Magnus," her captor cried, holding her tighter. "Magnus breathe, you're fine, you're here, you're safe."_

_She growled at whoever was lying to her, kicking out as much as she could. She felt one of the restraints on her ankles loosen so worked harder and harder until the leather gave way with a sharp snap. Helen brought her leg up, intent on walloping her captor between the shoulder blades. _

"_Someone get a sedative," the man above her yelled, his voice strained with panic. Briefly she wondered at why he was so worried for her but she dismissed it, intent on getting free. Her knee connected with his back with a satisfying thud that made him jerk forwards with a grunt. He released her shoulders, staggering backwards and giving her the chance to pull once more at her bindings. _

_Her freedom was short lived though, another pair of much stronger hands curling around her shoulders just seconds after the last pair disappeared._

"_Helen," the newcomer said, hands digging in almost painfully. "Helen, look at me this instant."_

_She spat at the face hovering just above hers, baring her teeth once more. _

_He wiped his face off on his shoulder before pushing her down onto the bed until she couldn't move a muscle. Another hand wrapped around her stray leg, fastening a fresh cuff around it before she was left with just the one person holding her down._

"_Listen to me, Helen," the captor said again, voice low and urgent. "I know you can do this, just focus. Just focus on me."_

_She blinked sleepily up at the blurry face, frowning. Something about his words were familiar, his voice comfortingly familiar. She strained to pick out his features, only a pair of icy blue eyes standing out. _

"_Nikola," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. The hands on her shoulders relaxed a little as she spoke, a soft hum of laughter wafting down from her captor. No, she corrected, her Nikola._

"_Helen," he said again, relief colouring his tone. "Helen, you're all right."_

"_I... Nikola," she whispered. "Nikola, what happened? I can't... they..." Images flooded her mind of sterile labs and dark gardens, faces fading in and out of focus as she tried to zone in on any single piece of information._

"_You're safe here," he whispered. "I promise, they won't ever get you again."_

_She whimpered. _

"_We're going to give you a sedative, to help you sleep," he continued. "It won't hurt you. But when you wake, you might not know where you are again. You have to try and focus, OK?"_

"_No," she said suddenly. Sedatives meant needles. "No!" Panic rose in her throat and she tried to reach for Nikola to try and make him understand. "No!"_

"_Breathe," he said, bringing a hand up to her cheek. "You'll be fine, Helen. I promise."_

"_No needles," she said desperately. "Please, no needles. No more. I can't take any more needles."_

_Tears were running down her cheeks but Helen was barely aware of the fact. She had to make him understand. _

"_Please, no," she tried once more. She was sobbing openly but she tried to push her words out through her terror._

"_No needles," Nikola said softly, stroking her cheek. "It's all right. No needles then, no needles. OK?"_

"_No needles," she repeated, nodding. "No needles."_

"_No needles," he confirmed. _

"_No needles," she whispered, eyes falling shut as relief swept through her body._

* * *

**Naw, you guys are so cute! I didn't expect people to actually be attached to Rose. But yes, she is dead. Gone. Kaput! To the first 'Guest' who wants more John/Abby shippiness, I have a story that I'm debating the merits of that would explore their 'relationship', for want of a better term so either pester me until I write it or pretend to be patient :P**

**Now, with the whole Ashley thing, I think I should explain because I wasn't exactly clear. Basically, Rose 'ingested' DNA from both Helen and John (but it didn't kill her because she already shared some DNA with Helen as discussed in previous stories) and, with that and the power of John's elemental (and a rather large dash of magic and creative license) as well as her minor healing ability, she bought Ashley back. She couldn't have done it previously because it would have killed her but, in that she would have to ingest Helen's DNA to save her after John's accidentally stabbing (which was going to kill her, one way or the other), it was sort of the right time, no?**

**And yes, it wasn't supposed to be entirely clear in that Rose was never totally explained but I figured I ought to clarify my 'logic'.**

**I hope that clears THAT up :P**

**To 'Guest 2', this was always the way Rose's story was going to end, I decided that before I finished writing We'll Meet Again however, I do like your idea of flashbacks. If I can come up with any :P**

**However, I won't comment on the possibility of Teslen :P You'll just have to keep reading!**

**If anyone has further questions, don't be afraid to PM me on here or come find me on Twitter (same user name). I'm really quite friendly, I promise :)**

**xx**


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